Martinez is eighth Chelsea-Villa deal in four years
Chelsea have signed Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa for 7.5 million pounds, marking the eighth deal between the two clubs in four years.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Chelsea signed goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa for 7.5 million pounds on a three-year deal.
- This marks the eighth transfer or loan deal between Chelsea and Aston Villa over the past four years.
- Chelsea have paid Villa 163.5 million pounds for players since 2022, while Villa have spent 102.5 million pounds on Chelsea players.
- Direct communication between Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali and Villa owner Nassef Sawiris has driven the frequent business.
Chelsea have completed the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa for 7.5 million pounds, securing the 33-year-old World Cup winner on a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge. This transfer represents the eighth deal conducted between the two Premier League clubs over the past four seasons.
Martinez, who previously played for Arsenal, joined Villa in 2020 and made 256 appearances while helping the club secure the Europa League title last season. His arrival follows Nicolas Jackson's move in the opposite direction the previous week. Data shows that no two Premier League clubs have exchanged more players, through permanent transfers or loans, during the last four years.
The extensive trading relationship began after BlueCo took over Chelsea in 2022, starting with Carney Chukwuemeka's 20 million pound move from Villa that summer. Subsequent moves included Ian Maatsen to Villa for 37.5 million pounds, Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for 19 million pounds, and Axel Disasi on a 5 million pound loan to Villa, before four more deals materialized this summer.
During the current transfer window, Morgan Rogers completed a 117 million pound switch to Chelsea, while Alejandro Garnacho joined Villa on loan with a conditional obligation to buy worth around 43 million pounds. Nicolas Jackson then moved to Villa for 65 million pounds prior to Martinez's arrival. Since 2022, Chelsea have paid Villa 163.5 million pounds, while Villa have spent 102.5 million pounds on Chelsea players, a figure that could rise to 150.5 million pounds if Garnacho's move becomes permanent.
Photo by Howard Bouchevereau / Unsplash
The remarkable frequency of business between Chelsea and Aston Villa has drawn scrutiny from rival Premier League executives, especially as both clubs navigate strict domestic and European financial regulations. While UEFA holds the authority to scrutinize transfers completed between the same clubs within a 45-day window—such as the timeframe surrounding Garnacho and Jackson's moves—timing alone does not constitute a rule breach. Both clubs maintain legitimate sporting reasons for their transactions, independent of their previous dealings with one another.
Beyond financial figures, the close working relationship between Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali and Villa owner Nassef Sawiris has facilitated direct communication across multiple transfer windows. This dynamic played a role when Rogers chose Stamford Bridge over rival interest from Arsenal earlier in the summer transfer window.
Statistics indicate that Chelsea feature in six of the ten busiest club pairings in the league, sharing eight deals with both Aston Villa and Brighton respectively. This high volume of player trading reflects the substantial squad overhaul overseen by the BlueCo consortium following its 4.25 billion pound acquisition of the club from Roman Abramovich.
Source: BBC Sport
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