Emiliano Martinez has revealed that former Chelsea captain John Terry helped convince him to make the move to Stamford Bridge after leaving Aston Villa this summer.
The Argentina international completed his switch to Chelsea after several seasons at Villa Park, bringing an end to a successful spell in the Midlands. Martinez has now explained that a conversation with Terry was influential as he considered taking on the challenge of wearing the famous Chelsea shirt.
Terry is already familiar with Martinez from his own time at Aston Villa, where the former England international worked as part of the coaching staff. That relationship gave Martinez an opportunity to speak directly with one of Chelsea’s greatest-ever players before making his decision.
According to Martinez, Terry’s perspective helped underline what it means to represent Chelsea and the expectations that come with playing for one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs
He said: ‘I remember using the 26 on loan a few times with previous clubs, and of course I knew John Terry famously had the 26 here.
‘John was someone I spoke to before I joined, and he said he was over the moon to have me here. From our time together at Aston Villa, he knows how hard I work and what I can bring to Chelsea. JT really helped me with my decision.
‘The morning I signed, I texted him and said, “I’m wearing your shirt, and I’m going to do it with pride.”‘
Martinez’s revelation will likely be welcomed by CHELSEA supporters, particularly because Terry’s words carry considerable weight when it comes to understanding the demands of playing for the club.
Having a player of Terry’s stature encouraging Martinez to make the move could have helped reassure the goalkeeper that Chelsea was the right destination at this stage of his career.
For CHELSEA, the arrival of Martinez is about more than simply adding another goalkeeper. His experience at the highest level, commanding personality and proven ability in pressure situations could provide valuable qualities to the squad.
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