Chelsea's 2-0 win over Luton Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup was overshadowed by a couple of pieces of news before a ball was kicked at Stamford Bridge
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer completed the full match for Chelsea in their win over Luton Town(Image: Chris Lee - Chelsea FC)
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Thursday was a big day for Chelsea. The Blues recorded a straightforward, run-of-the-mill victory over League One side Luton Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup, but that is not why it was an important day for the club.
So much happened. You would expect that with a few days remaining of the summer transfer window, particularly from a club of Chelsea's nature. BlueCo have famously been no strangers to making out-of-the-blue signings.
In their own ways, the two deals Chelsea agreed on Thursday were just that. First, it was a £40million total package deal for Atalanta's teenage sensation Honest Ahanor. After doing some due diligence and speaking to people in Italy about the 18-year-old defender, it is clear he is rated enormously highly.
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While out of the blue to supporters, perhaps, Ahanor has been one on Chelsea's radar for a while now. However, it seems unlikely at this point that the Italian will be part of Xabi Alonso's first-team squad this season. Sources close to Chelsea say no decision has been made at the time of writing over where Ahanor will play his football this term.
The second deal - while being a smaller £7.5m fee - is a bigger one for the here and now. A change of heart from Alonso regarding the goalkeeper options at Stamford Bridge led Chelsea to take up the opportunity to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
Martinez's representatives offered Chelsea the chance to sign the Argentina international earlier in the week after the Blues' win against Fulham, which was marred somewhat by a poor Robert Sanchez performance. Chelsea insiders had said all summer-long of their happiness with Sanchez and young understudy Mike Penders, but there was undeniably a switch.
Emiliano Martinez
Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa(Image: Nicolo Campo/LightRocket)
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There was a very Argentine feeling at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening. While one is about to come through the door, another is looking increasingly likely to depart. That is of course Enzo Fernandez, however football.london was told late on Thursday night that - at that time - there had been no direct club-to-club contact regarding the wantaway midfielder.
Reports circulating online claimed Fernandez to Manchester City is close. Chelsea sources, though, are adamant that is not the case. The £120m price tag set by the Blues is off the table, insiders say, and any offer for the Argentina international will be considered only in the context of Alonso's squad.
Chelsea will seek a replacement - not necessarily a direct one - if Fernandez was to exit before next week's transfer deadline. Morgan Gibbs-White is someone liked by the club, as is Alex Scott. The latter, Chelsea saw a £64m offer turned down by Bournemouth earlier in the summer.
While one Argentine is arriving, one possibly leaving, one's Chelsea career was just getting underway. Valentin Barco started in a double pivot alongside Blues captain Reece James in the win over Luton and the Argentina midfielder was mightily impressive.
The visiting supporters booed him throughout his debut, but that didn't stop Barco from lighting up Stamford Bridge as the sun made its way down over west London. Alonso was delighted with what he saw from the 22-year-old, citing his dynamism, composure in possession and his ability to know what is happening around him throughout his debut.
It will be a difficult task for Barco to break into Alonso's best XI. James and Moises Caicedo seem to have the midfield spots locked down already, especially if Fernandez does leave in the coming days. Usually, one would expect the new signing to be given a load of opportunities as the season progresses - and that could still be the case - but his starts seem likelier to be in the cup competitions given Chelsea's failure to qualify for European football.
On a similar note, it was a surprise to many to see Cole Palmer's name in the starting line-up 75 minutes before kick-off. After completing the majority of the win at Craven Cottage less than 72 hours prior, there were some doubts over whether the 24-year-old would even be named in the matchday squad.
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer completed the full match for Chelsea in their win over Luton Town(Image: Chris Lee - Chelsea FC)
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Palmer, though, alongside his best mate and attacking partner Morgan Rogers, was a surprise starter. The England international, who was left out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad in the summer after a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, is playing like he has a point to prove.
Tuchel, in fact, was in the stands at Stamford Bridge to watch Palmer. The German would have been impressed with what he saw from the Chelsea attacker. While Palmer dazzled for a second successive game, he would have been disappointed to not get on the scoresheet. It is no exaggeration to say he could have bagged a first-half hat-trick.
While it was a surprise to see Palmer in the starting XI, it was even more of a shock to see him be one of the 11 to finish the Carabao Cup second round tie. Alonso, though, seems to trust Palmer's body at the moment, despite the frustrating injuries he struggled with last season.
"Cole had a great pre-season," replied Alonso when asked on his surprising decision to give Palmer the full game on Thursday night. "He's well prepared so he's one of the players that can take the 90 minutes.
"So we had an idea, depending on the context of the game, but Cole has a very good fitness level in terms of stamina and now he needs to recover well for Sunday."
The Palmer we've seen in the opening two games of the season is the one we want to see throughout the campaign. Alonso will be hoping a similar version travels to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon with Brighton the first Premier League visitors of the 2026/27 campaign.