Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has said he is not yet certain whether Emiliano Martinez’s transfer from Aston Villa to Chelsea is the right move for the Argentina goalkeeper.
Martinez recently completed his switch from the Birmingham club to the London side, signing a three-year contract with Chelsea. The agreement runs until the end of June 2029.
The transfer fee was €8.7m, with Martinez leaving Aston Villa to join Chelsea after the two clubs reached an agreement over the goalkeeper’s move.
Keane, who previously played in midfield for Manchester United, was asked for his view on the deal. His response was cautious rather than definitive.
“I’m not sure yet,” Keane said.
That assessment places the former Manchester United player on record as reserving judgement on Martinez’s move to Chelsea. Keane did not give a firm verdict that the transfer would succeed or fail, instead making clear that he had not yet reached a conclusion.
Martinez is an Argentina international goalkeeper and has now agreed terms that will keep him at Chelsea until 30 June 2029. His arrival ends his spell with Aston Villa and begins a new period of his career at the London club.
The financial terms of the transfer have been set at €8.7m. The contract length is three years, meaning the agreement covers the period from Martinez’s arrival through to the end of June 2029.
Keane’s comments specifically relate to the decision by Martinez to leave Aston Villa for Chelsea. The former Manchester United midfielder’s words do not alter the confirmed details of the transfer: Martinez has moved clubs, Chelsea have signed him on a three-year deal, and the fee is €8.7m.
The Argentine goalkeeper’s change of employer is therefore confirmed, while Keane’s position remains open. Rather than offering an unequivocal endorsement of Chelsea’s signing, he said he was still unsure about the move.
Martinez has joined the London club from Aston Villa, based in Birmingham, under a contract that extends until June 2029. Chelsea have paid €8.7m to complete the transfer.
Keane’s reaction was limited to his uncertainty over whether the switch represents the right decision for Martinez. No further judgement from the former Manchester United midfielder was provided.
For now, the central facts of the deal are clear. Martinez has left Aston Villa, signed for Chelsea on a three-year agreement and moved for a reported fee of €8.7m. The only uncertainty expressed in the report comes from Keane, who said: “I’m not sure yet.”