Former Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic has thrown his weight behind the club’s move to acquire Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
According to Begovic, the Argentine aligns perfectly with the ambitions of the Londoners, and Robert Sanchez's poor performance against Fulham may have been the final straw for the club's hierarchy.
Begovic stated:
I completely understand why they did it. Martinez has proven to be a top-class goalkeeper. Everything he has achieved with the national team and Aston Villa, along with his consistent performances over the years, shows that he’s a top shot-stopper.
There’s logic behind this decision. I know Sanchez had a very poor match against Fulham, and I think that probably became the last drop for the club's patience.
However, Begovic expressed surprise at how long Chelsea had backed the Spanish goalkeeper:
I’m a bit surprised, as the club consistently put their trust in Robert Sanchez for quite some time. From what I understand, they also really like Mike Penders and want to keep him as an option for his development within the team. But there must be limits.
The club has big ambitions this season with the players they have signed and the coaches they have brought in. So, I get this decision. Martinez fully meets those expectations. He’s a top goalkeeper for a top club.
Chelsea signed Martinez from Aston Villa for £7.5 million. After losing his starting spot, Sanchez has gone on loan to Como for the remainder of the season.
The next match for Xabi Alonso's side will be away against defending champions Arsenal this Sunday.
