Chelsea agree £7.5m deal to sign former Gunner

Chelsea have reached a £7.5m agreement with Aston Villa to sign former Arsenal goalkeeper Emi Martinez. The player could potentially make his debut against the Gunners in Sunday's Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium. Martinez has agreed to a two-year deal with Chelsea, with the option for a further 12-month extension. Aston Villa opted to replace Martinez with Zion Suzuki this summer, and he has reportedly been training alone since.

Martinez had a disappointing season with Villa, keeping only eight Premier League clean sheets and finishing outside the top-10 goalkeepers. Arsenal's David Raya won the award for the best goalkeeper in the division for the third consecutive season. Villa's performance improved in Europe by winning the Europa League, but the club felt the need to strengthen their goalkeeping options ahead of their push for Champions League football.

Given Chelsea's lack of European football, Martinez will likely be keen to secure regular playing time domestically, especially after Robert Sanchez's recent strong performances.