According to Darren Lewis and Dan Marsh from the Mirror, one of the top priorities for incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is to sign a new no.1 goalkeeper. The report suggests that Chelsea are keen on Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez. Between the sticks has been – an area of concern for Chelsea this season, with Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy both receiving criticism.
Pochettino Indentifies Emi Martinez
Chelsea Desire New Goalkeeper
Chelsea have endured an unsettling season, with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter departing the Stamford Bridge managerial hot seat. Frank Lampard is currently the interim boss, with Pochettino set to take over this summer. The report from the Mirror states Chelsea’s desire to find a new goalkeeper, which has seen them linked recently to Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana.
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The desire of Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper seems to be down to Pochettino, making it one of his most pressing priorities to source a new no.1 for the Stamford Bridge club. This desire to strengthen the goalkeeping position has been made clear to the Stamford Bridge hierarchy. Martinez seems to be the target for the incoming Chelsea manager, but according to TYC Sports, they will face competition from Manchester United and Spurs for the Argentinian shot-stopper.
Plenty of Struggles at Stamford Bridge
Ahead of Pochettino’s arrival, Chelsea are languishing in eleventh place in the Premier League and meandering towards the end of a forgettable season. Pochettino enjoyed an impressive five-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur, where he introduced a free-flowing attacking style of football, which took The Lilywhites to the Champions League final.
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It has been clear throughout the season Chelsea have lacked a striker, and reports have surfaced that Romelu Lukaku could return to Stamford Bridge next season. Despite his injury-prone season, N’Golo Kante is keen to stay and be part of Pochettino’s Chelsea revolution.
What Qualities Emi Martinez Would Bring to Stamford Bridge
Martinez is an exceptional shot-stopper who has impressed for Aston Villa this season keeping 13 clean sheets in 35 appearances in all competitions. He was praised by Gary Neville earlier this year for his “world-class” save against Leeds United. The Argentinian is adept with the ball at his feet and is efficient at chipping the ball out to full-backs and wingers. Having a goalkeeper who is comfortable on the ball in addition to being a good shot-stopper, will seemingly be a perfect fit for the attacking free-flowing style of Pochettino.
