Chelsea legend, Marcel Desailly has slammed “awful” Robert Sanchez as the Blues finalise a deal to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
Sanchez, who was brought in from Brighton for £25 million three years ago, made another error during his team’s opening match of the new Premier League season on Monday, failing to convincingly handle both of Fulham’s goals in a 3-2 win.
This has led Chelsea to explore alternative options, with the Daily Telegraph reporting that the club has reached an agreement on a £7.5 million deal to sign Martinez.
This will mark the fourth transaction between Chelsea and Aston Villa this summer, following Morgan Rogers’ transfer to Villa Park for a Premier League-record fee earlier in the window. Alejandro Garnacho has also joined Unai Emery’s squad, while Nicolas Jackson is expected to arrive at Villa Park in a deal potentially worth up to £65 million.
Martinez, 33, is set to sign a two-year contract at Stamford Bridge, with an option for an additional 12 months.
Chelsea will be hopeful that his arrival will resolve a problematic area within the team, as former Blues player Desailly has pinpointed Sanchez as a significant weakness.
Xabi Alonso’s team has been bolstered by the additions of Maxence Lacroix and Rogers this summer, but World Cup winner Desailly believes Chelsea’s notable “wobbles” can be attributed to Sanchez’s role in goal.
Desailly told Metro via SportsCasting: “He’s awful! You expect your defensive core to be dependable. That core includes Lacroix, followed by Fernandez, Caicedo, Palmer, and eventually the striker as well.
“It’s disheartening to witness Chelsea falter due to the goalkeeper. One might attribute it to the early stage of the season, yet such weaknesses should not be evident so soon.
“I believe we should remain optimistic that he will improve. However, it is distressing to see a Premier League goalkeeper fail to provide the stability and confidence needed for a young team”.
Sanchez was beaten at his near post by Josh King’s angled shot against Fulham on Monday night.
He later spilled another effort into a dangerous area, with Gonzalo Garcia pouncing to score.
The Spaniard was left out of the Chelsea squad for their Carabao Cup clash against Luton on Thursday night, with Mike Penders starting in goal.
Chelsea followed up their 3-2 victory over Fulham in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Luton Town in the EFL Cup on Thursday night, with Penders in goal.