Chelsea announced on Sunday that they have secured the services of goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez from Aston Villa on a three-year deal. While the club did not disclose the financial terms, British media outlets report that the transfer fee for the 33-year-old is approximately £7.5 million, or $10.15 million.
Expressing his ambition upon joining the West London side, Martinez stated, “I want to be successful here. I’m someone who wants to win at everything I do and I want to bring that here to this football club because it’s a football club that wins titles, so I think it’s a good match.”
The move follows a significant period of transition at Villa Park, where Martinez made 256 appearances after arriving from Arsenal in 2020. His departure was facilitated by Villa’s recent signing of Japanese international Zion Suzuki from Parma. During his tenure at Aston Villa, Martinez cemented his reputation as one of the Premier League’s top keepers, notably helping Unai Emery’s squad secure a fourth-place finish and Europa League glory last season.
At Stamford Bridge, the Argentine international will compete with Robert Sanchez for the starting position. Sanchez has served as Chelsea’s primary goalkeeper since his 2023 move from Brighton & Hove Albion, though his position came under scrutiny following errors during the team’s 3-2 opening-day win against Fulham.
Martinez brings extensive pedigree to Chelsea, having been instrumental in Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup victory and their runner-up finish in 2026, alongside Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024. His exit marks a busy transfer window for Villa, which has seen several high-profile departures, including Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for a British record fee, Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, and the exits of Jadon Sancho, Douglas Luiz, and Lucas Digne. The report also notes that the first-choice goalkeeper also won Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.
