Chelsea make Emiliano Martinez signing official

Chelsea have made Emiliano Martinez’s move from Aston Villa official, according to Sky Sports. The deal follows an earlier reported understanding—The Guardian had pointed to an £7.5m agreement—and turns that expectation into a completed transfer.

A three-year contract

As per Sky Sports, Martinez signs a three-year contract with the fee set at £7.5m. The expectation is that he arrives to be a regular starter for Chelsea.

Martinez on his decision

In his first comments as a Chelsea player, the Argentina goalkeeper said the move was an easy call for him and his family and showed excitement about getting started. He also underlined his mindset: he wants to win, believes Chelsea is a club that “wins titles”, and promised to give “100 per cent” in every game and training session to make the club, teammates and supporters proud.

The timing of the transfer connects both sides of the story. Sky Sports notes that Martinez was searching for a new club after Villa brought in Zion Suzuki from Parma, and that Chelsea had been linked with a late push after criticism aimed at current No. 1 Robert Sanchez following an error in last Monday’s win at Fulham.

Next steps

With the signing confirmed, the immediate question is how quickly Martinez settles and what it means for Chelsea’s current pecking order in goal.