Emiliano Martínez appears set to arrive, while another prominent Argentine could soon be playing in a different shade of blue. Chelsea have addressed their most pressing problem by fulfilling Xabi Alonso’s request for a new goalkeeper, agreeing a £7.5m transfer with Aston Villa. A conclusion to the uncertainty surrounding Enzo Fernández may also be close.
Fernández was the major omission as Chelsea secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Luton to reach the Carabao Cup third round. The club are eager to end the ongoing speculation. Manchester City are preparing an offer for the midfielder and, with the situation becoming an unwelcome distraction, Alonso and Chelsea chose not to include their reported vice-captain.
Alonso said his priority had to be the team and remained measured when discussing the decision. The Chelsea head coach noted that Fernández had performed well in training, but his careful response did little to weaken the belief that the midfielder may have made his final appearance for the club. Chelsea will face Leeds at home in the next round.
A separation may suit everyone involved. Fernández has reportedly wanted to leave since March, while Chelsea require players who are fully invested in the project. Alonso is working to strengthen the squad’s mentality, and the performance against Luton offered positive signs. Danny Welbeck, who remains effective at 35 after moving from Brighton, can help establish those standards. The forward is expected to play a meaningful role and demonstrated his value by scoring the opening goal shortly after half-time.
“Danny showed patience,” Alonso said after Welbeck broke Luton’s resistance by rising to meet Malo Gusto’s excellent cross. “He demonstrated his greatest qualities by finding the right position and finishing the chance.”
Welbeck will challenge João Pedro for a place in Chelsea’s attack this season while bringing much-needed experience to a youthful group. The team can continue without Fernández, although a replacement would be necessary if he completes a move to City.
The opening signs under Alonso have been promising. He has acted firmly over the goalkeeping position, particularly after Robert Sánchez’s uncertain performance against Fulham. Sánchez has failed to provide the required level of reliability, so Chelsea moved quickly when the opportunity to recruit Martínez emerged. Mike Penders made his first appearance in goal on Thursday evening. The highly regarded 21-year-old Belgian is expected to serve as Martínez’s understudy.
Alonso is clearly focused on achieving immediate success. Despite Chelsea having no European fixtures this season, the strength of the starting lineup was unexpected only three days after their frantic Premier League victory against Fulham. Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer featured in a lively attacking unit, with Estêvão Willian producing an exciting performance on the right.
Luton, who sit third in League One, fought hard to remain competitive during a first half in which Chelsea led the shot count 17-3. Rogers struck the crossbar, while Jack Wilshere’s team defended with determination. Josh Keeley made impressive stops to deny Palmer and Reece James, who started in midfield for the second time in three days despite his history of injuries.
Chelsea maintained their composure and waited for an opening. Valentin Barco, previously involved in a heated encounter with Jude Bellingham in Atlanta, delivered an assured debut alongside James. With Moisés Caicedo still unavailable, Chelsea increased the tempo early in the second half. Gusto advanced down the flank and supplied the cross, allowing Welbeck to escape his marker and guide a header into the net.
Chelsea added their second goal late in the match. Barco contributed to the move before Palmer released Estêvão, whose effort deflected off Hakeem Odoffin and was recorded as an own goal.
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