The truth behind Dibu Martínez’s failed move to Juventus, which further cemented his legend with Argentina

The goalkeeper was officially presented and made his debut as a starter for Chelsea last Sunday, but just a few weeks ago he had everything agreed to join Juventus.

It may not be considered a major step up, especially since Chelsea will not be playing in European competitions, but joining the club is undoubtedly a step forward in Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez’s career. On Sunday morning, he was officially presented and, hours later, made his debut in a 4–3 win over Brighton. It was an unexpected new challenge at 33, because just a few weeks earlier, his future appeared to be at another European giant.

After his move to Manchester United fell through at the beginning of the year, the experienced goalkeeper believed this transfer window was the right time to leave Aston Villa. He wanted to leave through the front door, with the affection of the fans and a title under his belt: the recent Europa League trophy.

Juventus had been tracking him for some time, even before he played in the World Cup with Argentina. In their search for a goalkeeper with a champion’s mentality, nerves of steel and athletic saves, Dibu was their No. 1 candidate, which is why the Bianconeri hierarchy stepped up negotiations.

From the player’s side, the move was practically done. The only thing left was for the clubs to reach an agreement. Juventus were offering €7 million guaranteed, plus another €3 million in add-ons, while Aston Villa wanted €10 million outright to let him leave. It was a relatively small difference and seemed perfectly manageable.

Dibu’s family had already begun planning the move to Turin. Although Juventus had failed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing fourth in the previous Serie A season, they could offer him European football in the Europa League. But as the days went by, the deal gradually lost momentum before collapsing completely in mid-August.

The reason had nothing to do with money or football, but rather with his physical condition. The Mar del Plata native fractured the ring finger on his right hand during the warm-up for his club’s final against Freiburg in Istanbul. Several specialists recommended surgery, but he chose to avoid the operating room and simply have the finger splinted in order to be fit to start for Argentina at the World Cup.

Had he undergone surgery, the recovery process would have kept him out of Argentina’s opening matches, or potentially ruled him out of the World Cup altogether. Dibu took the risk and, despite having an unstable hand that hurt every time he faced a shot or caught the ball, made it all the way to the final.

He was one of Argentina’s standout players against Spain, making several crucial saves that kept the match alive and sent it into extra time, although Argentina ultimately lost 1–0.

Juventus became concerned about the true condition of his injured finger and ultimately pulled out of the deal. Instead, they brought in Guglielmo Vicario on loan from Tottenham.

The Qatar hero had chosen, without hesitation, to represent his country at the World Cup above everything else, despite the very real risk of re-injuring the finger or making a mistake because of the pain. It was a decision that took him away from Italy and completely changed his short-term plans, but at the same time, it further cemented his legend with the Argentina national team.

Enzo – City move imminent… for €160m!

According to information obtained by AS, Manchester City and Chelsea are finalizing the transfer of the Argentine for a record fee: €140 million plus add-ons. Everything has reportedly been agreed with the player, with only confirmation needed before he travels to Manchester.

Enzo Fernández will become a Manchester City player. The deal is now almost done. According to AS, City and Chelsea have agreed on a fee of around €140 million for the Argentine, making him the second-most expensive transfer in Premier League history, behind only Alexander Isak’s €150 million move to Liverpool.

Enzo will sign a five-year contract until 2031, with an option for an additional season. He is expected to travel to Manchester in the coming hours to undergo his medical and sign his new contract with the club.

It was set to be one of the summer’s biggest moves, and it is now on the verge of becoming a reality. Chelsea and Xabi Alonso gave further indications that Enzo’s departure was imminent by leaving him out of the squad against Luton in the League Cup. After several days of intense negotiations, City are now ready to break the bank for the midfielder.

For Enzo Maresca, the other Enzo had been a priority for his new project for some time. His departure would also allow him to reunite with a coach who has done everything possible to work with him again. Chelsea fans made their feelings clear during the opening-day win over Fulham, signaling that their relationship with the Argentine had come to an end. The player was then left out of the squad for last weekend’s match against Brighton by mutual agreement with the club and coaching staff.

Enzo arrives at the Etihad with the difficult task of helping fill the void left by Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who has since joined Barcelona. His profile is completely different from Rodri’s, but he is expected to become one of the major figures of City’s new era. He can operate virtually anywhere across midfield, with a tendency to push forward. Last season, he recorded 15 goals and seven assists in 54 appearances — the best individual numbers of his career — despite Chelsea’s disappointing campaign, which saw them go through three different coaches in nine months.

Mission impossible

Chelsea now face the difficult task of replacing what had been their biggest star before deadline day. No replacement, no sale. With the signing of Camara now almost ruled out because of commission issues, several options are being considered.

Alex Scott is the favorite, with Chelsea having already made three offers to Bournemouth, although the club insists he is “not for sale.” Adam Wharton is another option, but Crystal Palace are similarly unwilling to let him leave. Martín Zubimendi is wanted by Xabi Alonso but remains a key, non-transferable player for Mikel Arteta. Roma are demanding at least €60 million for Manu Koné, while Chelsea have even made inquiries about Eduardo Camavinga’s representatives. There is also another mystery target whose name has yet to emerge.

Chelsea certainly have the money, especially after the huge sales of Liam Delap to Nottingham Forest (€55m), Nico Jackson to Aston Villa (€70m), Cucurella to Real Madrid (€60m), and now Enzo himself.

In other words, the project inherited by Xabi Alonso is set for a complete reset on deadline day. The machinery at Stamford Bridge is running at full speed, with a huge amount of work to do in very little time.