Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has told Chelsea that they “could get” Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, a player who would surely help their title credentials grow.
The Blues are flying high in the Premier League. Currently, Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the league, and have won more games than everyone but leaders Liverpool.
But they could strengthen even more, as Bent feels that Villa could lose goalkeeper Martinez – again recently named the world’s best goalkeeper by FIFA – and he’s a man Chelsea could get.
“I wonder if Aston Villa don’t get back in the Champions League. I know he [Martinez] signed a new contract, but could he go?” Bent said on talkSPORT.
“The fact is he could play for almost any team he wanted to. Chelsea could get him.”
Chelsea’s title credentials have frequently been played down by their own manager, Maresca, despite the fact they’ve been flying high all campaign.
Jamie Carragher agrees that the Londoners currently can’t win the Premier League, with the goalkeeper position one of the main things holding them back.
“I still look at the goalkeeper and two centre backs, Badiashile who played today, and I just think I can’t see someone winning the Premier League with that goalkeeper and without a real standout centre back,” he said.
“Those figures, you think, that you need to win a title, I still think Chelsea are a little bit short in those areas.”
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Adding a man who has twice been named the best goalkeeper in the world – in 2022 and 2024 – could surely be enough for Chelsea to make that last push, and would be perhaps the best way they could address the perceived issue.
The Blues’ current goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has a better save percentage, more saves and more clean sheets than Martinez this season.
But in a side who are performing better, and the quality of chances the opposition get are perhaps not as good as a result, the Villa man could thrive even more.
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