Chelsea have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Manchester United transfer target Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
Martinez is expected to leave Aston Villa this summer after five years at the club.
The two-time Yashin Trophy winner was teary as he waved goodbye to the Villa Park faithful in their penultimate Premier League match of the season.
Then, on the final day away to Man United, Martinez was sent off for taking out Rasmus Hojlund as the last man.
His dismissal contributed to Unai Emery’s side losing 2-0 and missing out on Champions League qualification.
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Overall, though, his time at Villa was a huge success, capped by helping the club secure a fifth-place finish in 2023/24 and a return to Europe’s top table.
Reports suggest he is available for around £45million, and the Mirror claims Chelsea have been ‘offered’ the chance to sign him for that fee.
Villa are reportedly being forced to cash in on a star player to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, with Martinez a leading candidate to depart.
In a blow to Chelsea, the Argentina goalkeeper ‘would prefer a switch to Old Trafford’.
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And in a blow to Martinez, new Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim ‘has other priorities this summer’ and is ‘unable’ to sign a new No.1 unless Andre Onana is sold for £35m.
But in a boost to the Blues, ‘that has opened the door’ for them to swoop in – even if they already have Filip Jorgensen and Robert Sanchez on the books.
Something to soften the blow for Martinez is that he has a ‘huge admirer’ at Chelsea in assistant coach Willy Caballero, a former Argentina international.
As for potential replacements, Villa are reportedly keen on Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens – who, obviously, is also attracting interest from United.
Fabrizio Romano actually dismissed any talk of Martinez heading to Chelsea prior to the Mirror report.
He wrote on X: “Chelsea are not among clubs in active talks to sign Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez this summer. No approach or talks as Chelsea respect Martínez but their focus is on different positions.”
There could well be a domino effect of goalkeeper transfers this summer.
Martinez moving to United depends on Onana leaving, while a switch to Chelsea would likely see either Sanchez or Jorgensen make way.
Meanwhile, Newcastle want to sign James Trafford from Burnley, with Leeds ‘monitoring’ that deal amid interest in Magpies ‘keeper Nick Pope, the Mirror adds.
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