Chelsea are in serious discussions with the camp of Emiliano Martínez after being offered the Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper, with the club weighing whether to formalise a bid before Tuesday night's transfer deadline.

A goalkeeper problem that refuses to go away

For all the upheaval Chelsea have experienced over the past several years — managerial changes, vast investment, a revolving squad — the position between the posts has remained stubbornly unresolved. Robert Sánchez has been the de facto first choice, but his tenure at Stamford Bridge has been punctuated by costly errors that have undermined otherwise promising performances.

Those concerns were brought sharply back into focus on Monday evening when Xabi Alonso's side ground out a win at Fulham. Sánchez, whom the new head coach selected ahead of 21-year-old Mike Penders, made two significant errors that directly contributed to goals. The result was ultimately positive, but the performance behind the backline served as yet another reminder that Chelsea's goalkeeping situation demands attention.

The numbers back that up. Chelsea have gone 17 Premier League matches without keeping a clean sheet — their longest such run since August 1991 — and that statistic is difficult to ignore for a club with genuine ambitions of competing for major honours.

Martínez wants out of Villa Park

Into this context arrives the availability of Emiliano Martínez, and it is easy to understand why Chelsea's hierarchy are intrigued. The 33-year-old has communicated to Aston Villa that he wishes to leave, and a proposed move to Juventus collapsed last week despite Villa having already moved to secure his replacement. The club signed Zion Suzuki from Parma for £30 million, with the Japanese goalkeeper sitting on the bench as Marco Bizot started in Villa's opening-weekend defeat at Brighton — a heavy loss that underlined their own transitional moment.

Martínez's CV is substantial. He was part of the Argentina squad that won the 2022 World Cup and reached the 2026 final. At club level, he lifted the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2020 and, more recently, the Europa League with Aston Villa last season. He is not a project; he is a proven, decorated goalkeeper who would walk into the vast majority of Premier League squads.

Chelsea are now in dialogue with his representatives over the terms of a potential deal, which the source report describes as one that could resolve the difficulties facing both clubs simultaneously.

Penders' future and the wider picture

The emergence of Martínez as a genuine target does complicate the narrative around Penders, the Belgian youngster who had been earmarked as the long-term successor to the number-one jersey. Bringing in a goalkeeper of Martínez's stature and standing would almost certainly push Penders further down the pecking order in the short term, though his age means any temporary setback need not derail his development entirely.

What is clear is that Alonso, barely settled into his new role, has been handed an immediate dilemma. A manager of his calibre will demand reliability from his goalkeeper, and the evidence this season suggests Sánchez cannot yet provide that with the consistency required.

Complicating Chelsea's summer further is the situation surrounding Enzo Fernández. Manchester City are expected to make a formal bid for the midfielder, and any sale — Chelsea had previously indicated they wanted £120 million — would leave the club scrambling for a replacement before the window closes. Alonso started Reece James and Roméo Lavia in central midfield at Craven Cottage, introducing Fernández from the bench, which may point to a cautious approach while the uncertainty persists.

With the deadline approaching, Chelsea's business this week could prove decisive in shaping the contours of Alonso's first real campaign in charge.

Frequently asked

Why does Emiliano Martínez want to leave Aston Villa?
According to reports, Martínez has told Aston Villa he wants to leave the club. A move to Juventus collapsed last week, and Villa have already signed Zion Suzuki from Parma for £30m as his replacement, leaving his future unresolved.
What is wrong with Chelsea's current goalkeeper Robert Sánchez?
Sánchez has been prone to errors throughout his time at Chelsea. Two mistakes in Monday's win at Fulham led directly to goals, and Chelsea have not kept a Premier League clean sheet in 17 matches — their worst run since 1991.
When does the summer transfer window close for Premier League clubs?
The 2026 summer transfer deadline for Premier League clubs falls on Tuesday night, giving Chelsea limited time to complete any deal for Martínez or to respond to a potential Manchester City bid for Enzo Fernández.