Emiliano Martinez Completes Chelsea Medical as Joshua Zirkzee Nears Man Utd Exit
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has travelled to London to undergo his medical ahead of completing a move to Chelsea from Aston Villa, with the transfer set to be finalised in the closing days of the summer window. Elsewhere, Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee is edging closer to an exit of his own, with a loan move to Italian side Fiorentina gathering pace.
According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Martinez arrived in London to complete his medical tests before putting pen to paper on a contract at Stamford Bridge that is set to run until June 2028, with Chelsea holding the option to extend the deal by a further year. The move follows a swift agreement between the two Premier League clubs, with Chelsea and Villa settling on a fee of around £7.5 million for the 33-year-old, considerably below Villa’s initial asking price of closer to £12 million.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Martinez gathered pace rapidly in the days following the club’s 3-2 win over Fulham on the opening weekend of the season, a match in which first-choice goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made a series of high-profile errors that renewed scrutiny over Chelsea’s options between the posts. Although head coach Xabi Alonso had initially continued to back Sanchez, the club moved swiftly to bring in additional experience following the Fulham display. Martinez is understood to have already given his approval for the move, having become available after his own proposed switch to Juventus collapsed earlier in the window amid concerns over a long-standing finger injury. Villa’s decision to sign Japan international Zion Suzuki from Parma as their new first-choice goalkeeper had further paved the way for Martinez’s departure.
Martinez joined Aston Villa from Arsenal in 2020 for around £17 million and went on to make more than 250 appearances for the club, helping Villa finish fourth in the Premier League and win the Europa League last season. He also remains Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper, having won the 2022 World Cup and reached last season’s World Cup final with his national team.
Meanwhile, at Manchester United, Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee looks increasingly likely to depart Old Trafford before Tuesday’s transfer deadline. According to reports, Fiorentina have submitted a loan offer for the forward that includes an option to buy him next summer, with United reportedly pushing for a structure that includes a conditional obligation to buy, similar to the arrangement used when Rasmus Hojlund left for Napoli last year. Zirkzee, who joined United from Bologna for £36.5 million in July 2024 as the first signing of the club’s INEOS ownership era, has managed just nine goals and four assists in 75 appearances across all competitions for the club, including only two goals last season.
Should Zirkzee’s exit be confirmed, United could move back into the market for a replacement forward, with reports linking the club to Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic among other potential targets, as head coach Michael Carrick looks to address his attacking options ahead of the deadline.
With the transfer window closing within days, both situations remain closely watched, as Chelsea look to strengthen their goalkeeping department while Manchester United continue reshaping their forward line under new leadership at Old Trafford.
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