Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for £7.5m, marking the eighth player exchange between the two Premier League clubs since 2022. The 33-year-old World Cup winner, who spent six years at Villa Park, signed a deal that includes a two-year contract with an option for a further year.
The transfer follows Nicolas Jackson's move in the opposite direction last week, continuing an unprecedented sequence of player dealings between the two clubs. No other Premier League pairing has exchanged more players on permanent or loan terms over the past four years.
Martinez made 256 appearances for Villa after joining from Arsenal in 2020 and was instrumental in the club's Europa League triumph last season. His departure came after Villa moved to establish Zion Suzuki as their long-term number one following his £30m signing from Parma, which prompted the goalkeeper's representatives to offer him to Chelsea.
I'm delighted to be at this football club. 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.
How did Chelsea and Villa become such frequent trading partners?
The intensive exchange of players began after BlueCo's takeover of Chelsea in 2022. The consortium's £4.25bn purchase ended Roman Abramovich's 19-year ownership and initiated a period of substantial squad restructuring that has made Chelsea the most active trader in the Premier League.
Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali and Villa owner Nassef Sawiris have established a direct working relationship that has facilitated multiple transfer discussions across several windows. This personal connection between the two decision-makers has underpinned the frequency of negotiations, though it does not automatically mean every deal is linked to another.
The first significant move came in summer 2022 when Chelsea paid £20m for Carney Chukwuemeka. Since then, Ian Maatsen (£37.5m to Villa), Omari Kellyman (£19m to Chelsea) and Axel Disasi (a £5m loan to Villa) have also moved between the clubs.
What deals have occurred this summer?
The current transfer window has seen four major transactions between the pair. Morgan Rogers completed a £117m move to Chelsea, while Alejandro Garnacho joined Villa on loan with a conditional obligation to buy valued at approximately £43m. Nicolas Jackson then transferred to Villa for £65m before Martinez followed to Stamford Bridge.
In total, Chelsea have paid Aston Villa £163.5m for players since 2022. Villa have spent £102.5m on Chelsea players, though this figure could rise to £150.5m should the conditions attached to Garnacho's loan move be met. Chelsea's assessment is that these criteria are readily achievable.
Why has the frequency of transfers raised questions?
The volume of business between the two clubs has attracted scrutiny from other Premier League executives at a time when both have had to comply with domestic and European financial regulations. Multiple club officials have privately questioned the frequency of the dealings, though there is no suggestion that either Chelsea or Villa have breached any rules.
UEFA retains the power to examine transfers completed between the same clubs within a 45-day window. Garnacho's initial loan to Villa occurred two days after Rogers signed for Chelsea, while Jackson's permanent transfer went through 38 days after the Rogers deal. However, a timeline alone does not establish that transactions were interconnected.
Villa can point to their longstanding interest in Jackson, who previously collaborated with head coach Unai Emery during his time at Villarreal. Chelsea, for their part, could argue that their pursuit of Martinez was independent of prior dealings with Villa and would have been pursued regardless of which club employed him. A proposed move to Juventus had fallen through earlier in August before Chelsea moved in, with a finger injury understood to have prevented that transfer.
What prompted Chelsea's interest in Martinez?
Chelsea's decision to pursue Martinez was partly driven by performance concerns with their existing goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, who came under criticism following errors in matches against Fulham. The club weighed whether to act before the transfer deadline closed, and Martinez was set to undergo a medical in London after Chelsea and Villa agreed the fee on 27 August.
The move was also player-driven, with Martinez's representatives actively offering him to Chelsea as Villa prepared to transition to Suzuki as their primary goalkeeper. This combination of factors—Chelsea's goalkeeping concerns, Villa's squad restructuring, and the goalkeeper's own desire to move—created the conditions for the transfer to proceed.
Why do Premier League clubs trade with each other?
Domestic transfers remain attractive for several reasons, with financial capacity being the primary factor. Premier League clubs generally possess greater spending power than most European competitors, making another English side one of the few potential buyers capable of meeting the fee and wage expectations of a selling club.
This makes domestic deals particularly valuable when clubs seek to move on high-value players. Recruiting from within the league also reduces uncertainty, as recruitment departments are already familiar with a player's abilities and track record in English football.
Yet even within a league where domestic trading is routine, the frequency of exchanges between Villa and Chelsea is exceptional. Analysis of permanent transfers and loans between the 15 Premier League clubs present throughout the period since summer 2022 reveals that Chelsea have completed eight deals with Villa and another eight with Brighton—the highest number for any pairing.
How does this compare to other club partnerships?
Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest rank next with six deals between them, followed by Arsenal and Chelsea on five. Chelsea feature in six of the ten busiest club pairings, illustrating the scale of their player trading activity since BlueCo's takeover.
Historically, Chelsea and Villa have exchanged players before the modern era. Tammy Abraham, Ross Barkley, Danny Drinkwater, Ryan Bertrand, Steve Sidwell and Andy Townsend are among those who moved between the clubs during the Premier League period, while John Terry joined Villa after his Chelsea career ended. However, the recent concentration of business between the two clubs remains unprecedented in the contemporary game.
Key Facts
- Martinez, 33, won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and made 256 appearances for Villa
- The transfer is the eighth deal between Chelsea and Villa in four years, more than any other Premier League pairing
- Chelsea have paid Villa £163.5m for players since 2022, while Villa have spent £102.5m on Chelsea players
- Four deals have occurred this summer alone: Rogers (£117m), Garnacho (loan with obligation, ~£43m), Jackson (£65m) and Martinez (£7.5m)
- The frequent trading has prompted questions from other Premier League clubs, though no rule breaches have been alleged
