Xabi Alonso has been praised for making a ruthless decision over Robert Sanchez after Chelsea agreed a deal to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop believes the arrival of Martinez represents a significant upgrade for Chelsea, with the Argentine expected to take over as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper under Alonso.
Chelsea have agreed a reported £7.5 million deal for the World Cup-winning goalkeeper, who is set to move to Stamford Bridge after falling out of favour at Aston Villa following the arrival of Zion Suzuki. Martinez is expected to sign a two-year contract with an option for a further season.
The move comes just days after Sanchez endured a difficult performance in Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Fulham. The Spanish goalkeeper was criticised for his involvement in two problematic moments during the game, once again raising questions over whether he could be trusted as Chelsea’s long-term No.1
Shaka Hislop told ESPNFC: ‘You need somebody with a presence and Emi Martinez without question has that. He’s very good with the ball at his feet and I think he ticks a lot of boxes for CHELSEA.
‘Emi Martinez is an upgrade on Sanchez, those numbers cover up the cracks and the truth. Emi Martinez is a far better goalkeeper
‘You have Emi Martinez, even at this stage of his career, ten times out of ten over Sanchez. It’s not even a discussion.’
Alonso’s decision to act quickly could ultimately prove one of his most important moves of the summer.
Chelsea have spent years searching for consistency between the posts, and Martinez offers something different from Sanchez. His personality, experience and ability to perform on the biggest stages could provide the stability Chelsea have lacked.
At £7.5 million, the deal also represents relatively limited financial risk for a goalkeeper of Martinez’s pedigree.
Sanchez may feel harshly treated, but Alonso’s job is to build the strongest possible CHELSEA team. If Martinez performs as expected, the decision to replace Sanchez could quickly be viewed as one of the Spaniard’s smartest calls
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