Chelsea's YouTube lot did not wait for an announcement. By Thursday night the directory was Martinez thumbnails: GBFC, Blue Lions TV, Younes Talks Chelsea, CarefreeLewisG, MAH, Minerals FC. David Ornstein had reported an agreement with Aston Villa. Fabrizio Romano put a here we go on a verbal. Nothing is signed. The window shuts at 11pm UK on Tuesday 1 September. That did not slow anyone down.
GBFC put the paperwork in the language the better channels actually used, then explained his own title. "Chelsea reach agreement with Aston Villa to sign Emi Martinez. Permanent deal for 33-year-old Aston Villa goalkeeper worth 7.5 million. An Argentina international to join CFC on a two-year contract with an option to extend at Stamford Bridge by a further 12 months. So, it's a two-year deal that could end up being a three-year deal." The video title still says signed on three years. It is not. He also said the thing the rest of the morning is arguing: "This might be one of the most important signings of the entire BlueCo era." And, because it is Friday: "It's literally Friday morning right now. And we have already rectified the problem."
Blue Lions TV treated it as a double drop with Honest Ahanor and went straight at Sanchez. "We reached a 7.5 million pound deal to get this move over the line and we've offered him two years plus the option to extend by a further year. The story was broken by David Ornstein first." Then the knock-on: "Naturally, there's going to be big question marks around the future of Robert Sanchez now because surely if you're making a move for him like this, it must mean something about his future." Ahanor is a verbal with Atalanta, not a completed signing either.
Younes Talks Chelsea came off the Luton watchalong cooked, then read the same Ornstein line and called time on Sanchez. "Chelsea reached verbal agreement to sign Emi Martinez. Here we go. Club to club agreement with Aston Villa on a fee worth 7.5 million pounds." Verbal is the word. He likes the fit for Mike Penders. "This goalkeeper doesn't block Mike Penders." And the line that will travel: "Sanchez's rate of recovery after those bozo moments takes three working days. I'd rely on Martinez much more."
CarefreeLewisG was the room after 2-0 at Luton. Most of the tape is Welbeck, Barco, depth, last season's cup horrors. The transfer sits on the end of it. "We got the Emi Martínez here we go. We finally have a reliable goalkeeper, a consistent goalkeeper." He is already picking the Arsenal game for him. That is a creator, not a teamsheet. What he actually argued is the personality gap. "The difference between Emi Martínez and Sanchez is Sanchez, you know the sort of game he's going to have within the first 10 or so minutes."
MAH is the one who would not play along. Martinez was not his first choice. He wanted Trafford. "The fourth time in this window under Xabi Alonso that they've completely utterly broken the BlueCo model to pieces and gone for someone over the age of 28." Then the cold water: "I don't think he's world class. I don't think he is a title winning goalkeeper as of yet based upon what I've seen." He still landed in the same place as the others, just quieter. "We're in a stronger position than we were in yesterday."
What they agree on: Sanchez's Fulham night made this happen, £7.5m is cheap for a World Cup winner, and Alonso wanted a grown-up in the gloves. What they do not agree on: whether Martinez is an upgrade you build a title race on, or a lucky late stop-gap because Juventus took Vicario instead. Penders is the other split. Some want him learning behind Martinez. Some want him out on loan so the cup games against Luton are not his education.
The same night the channels were also shouting Enzo to City and Jackson to Villa. Jackson is a separate piece of business. Enzo is not a done deal, however many titles say it. Until Martinez is signed, this is still a Thursday night on YouTube. The channels will be back the moment it is.