Dibu Martínez was officially presented at Chelsea and will be a starter against Brighton

After seven years at Aston Villa, Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez was officially presented as the new goalkeeper for Chelsea, which paid just over 8 million euros for his arrival and offered him a contract for two seasons.

The Mar del Plata native already had his first contact with the squad led by Xabi Alonso and won't have to wait long to make his debut. Just a few hours after his presentation, the Argentine was chosen to be a starter against Brighton, for the second match of the Premier League, instead of the Spanish Robert Sánchez.

In his first interview with the official channels of the London club, the world champion explained that the opportunity to join Chelsea did not raise too many doubts for him. "I am delighted to be at this football club. For me and my family, coming to Chelsea was an easy decision and I am euphoric; I can't wait to get started", he expressed.

The goalkeeper also made it clear what he aims for in this new stage, especially after a last season in which Chelsea failed to add a title to their trophy cabinet. "I am all about passion. I give everything in every match. I want to be successful here. I come to a winning club and I want to win titles. I am a person who wants to win in everything I do and I want to bring that to this football club because it is a club that wins titles, so I think it is a good combination", he stated.

His personality was also highlighted during the presentation. "I am pure passion and I play with my heart. I will give 100% in every match, in every training so that the club, my teammates, and the fans feel proud", he assured.

The farewell to Aston Villa

His departure from the Birmingham club came after a six-season stint in which he became a reference and a key player in some of the recent best moments of the institution. There he was champion of the Europa League and managed to return the team to the Champions League, before closing his cycle with an emotional farewell.

"Seven years ago I arrived at Aston Villa with a dream. Today I say goodbye with my heart full of memories, gratitude, and pride", Martínez wrote on his social media. "This club became much more than just a place where I played football. It became my home", he added.

In his farewell message, he also thanked teammates, coaches, staff, and especially the fans: "I leave with incredible memories, friendships for life, and a love for this club that will never fade. Thank you, Aston Villa. Thank you, Villans. Once a Villan, always a Villan".

The transfer was finalized after his possible move to Juventus fell through and Aston Villa decided to prioritize a renewal of their goalkeeping position with the addition of Japanese Zion Suzuki. Chelsea, which had already shown interest in the Argentine, accelerated negotiations and ended up closing the deal.

The numbers of Dibu Martínez at Aston Villa

In his 6 years with the Villans, the Argentine goalkeeper played 22,655 minutes, spread over 256 matches, of which he remained unbeaten in 80 and in the rest conceded 305 goals; he also received yellow cards on 26 occasions and a direct red on one. In terms of titles, he won one: Europa League 2025/26.