Chelsea's Carabao Cup victory over Luton Town was overshadowed by the absence of midfielder Enzo Fernandez, whose exclusion from the squad has intensified rumors linking him with a transfer to Manchester City. The club has also moved to bolster its goalkeeping ranks with the impending signing of Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
Fernandez was not present in the team, on the bench, or in the stands for the match at Stamford Bridge, despite manager Xabi Alonso indicating he intended to utilize the player. Chelsea declined to comment on the midfielder's absence or confirm whether he requested not to play. Sources suggest Manchester City is actively pursuing Fernandez, a move that appears to align with the player's own intentions, especially with the transfer window nearing its September 1 deadline. The club's valuation of Fernandez is reported to be £120 million.
In Fernandez's stead, Chelsea secured a 2-0 win against Luton. Danny Welbeck opened the scoring, and an own goal by Hakeem Odoffin doubled their lead. The team also had significant chances created by Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers. Valentin Barco, an Argentinian teammate of Fernandez, featured in the match and faced boos from Luton fans.
Goalkeeper Reinforcement
The club's transfer activity also extended to their goalkeeping position. Despite previous assurances of satisfaction with Robert Sanchez and Mike Penders, Chelsea has agreed to a £7.5 million fee for Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa. Martinez, who is nearing his 34th birthday, is expected to provide an upgrade on Sanchez, whose performance in a recent 3-2 win against Fulham was criticized for allowing avoidable goals.
This move for Martinez comes as the transfer window enters its final week and follows a pattern of business between Chelsea and Aston Villa, which has also involved players like Morgan Rogers. The signing is seen as a move to elevate Chelsea to an elite level. Meanwhile, 21-year-old goalkeeper Mike Penders made his debut for Chelsea in the match against Luton, showcasing potential with his distribution and command of crosses, earning praise from the home crowd.
Another player, Pedro Neto, who had faced criticism from Reece James for his defensive tracking at Fulham, demonstrated improved defensive commitment against Luton, earning applause from the Stamford Bridge supporters.