London: Chelsea made official the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martnez on Sunday. The English club announced that the 33-year-old World Cup winner has inked a three-year deal, transferring from Aston Villa.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Martnez expressed his excitement about joining Chelsea, stating, "Coming to Chelsea, for me and my family, was an easy decision to make and I'm just over the moon. I can't wait to get started. I want to be successful here. I'm someone who wants to win at everything I do and I want to bring that here to this football club because it's a football club that wins titles, so I think it's a good match."
Martnez is expected to step into the role of starting goalkeeper for Xabi Alonso's squad, following a challenging performance by Robert S¡nchez in the Premier League opener against Fulham. Aston Villa's recent acquisition of U.S.-born Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma facilitated Martnez's move.
Martnez has been a mainstay for Argentina since 2021, amassing 67 caps and playing pivotal roles in securing the Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, and reaching this year's World Cup final. His outstanding performances have earned him the Yashin Trophy at the 2023 and 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremonies, recognizing him as the world's best-performing goalkeeper.
During his tenure at Aston Villa, Martnez made 256 appearances over six seasons and celebrated a Europa League victory in May. He emphasizes his commitment to his new club, stating, "I'm all passion and I play with my heart. I will give 100 percent every game, every training session to make the club, my teammates, and the supporters proud."
Martnez's career began in the youth squads of Argentine club Independiente, leading to his signing with Arsenal in 2010 at age 17. After several loan spells, he became a regular for Arsenal in the 2019-20 season, culminating in an FA Cup victory.