Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly has strongly criticised goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, describing him as “awful” as the club moves closer to completing the signing of Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
Sanchez joined Chelsea from Brighton for £25 million three years ago but was again involved in costly mistakes during the Blues’ opening Premier League fixture on Monday.
The Spaniard struggled to deal with both of Fulham’s goals as Chelsea eventually suffered a 3-2 defeat, prompting the club to consider alternatives between the posts.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Chelsea have agreed a £7.5 million deal to bring Martinez to Stamford Bridge.
The proposed move would be the fourth transaction between Chelsea and Aston Villa during the current summer window. Morgan Rogers previously moved to Villa Park for a Premier League-record fee, while Alejandro Garnacho has also joined Unai Emery’s side. Nicolas Jackson is also expected to complete a move to Villa in a deal that could be worth up to £65 million.
Martinez, 33, is expected to sign a two-year contract with Chelsea, with an option to extend the agreement by another year.
Desailly believes the goalkeeper position has been a major concern for Chelsea and has singled out Sanchez as one of the team’s key weaknesses.
Reflecting on Chelsea’s defensive struggles, the former Blues defender 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 conceded Fulham’s first goal after Josh King beat him at his near post with an angled effort on Monday night.
He was subsequently guilty of another error after spilling an effort into a dangerous area, allowing Gonzalo Garcia to capitalise and score.
Sanchez was then omitted from Chelsea’s squad for Thursday night’s Carabao Cup encounter against Luton Town, with Mike Penders taking his place in goal.
Chelsea responded to their 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham with a 2-0 victory against Luton in the EFL Cup, with Penders keeping goal.
