'You need somebody with a presence' - Xabi Alonso ruthlessly axes Robert Sanchez as Chelsea agree deal for Emiliano Martinez

Alonso has made a ruthless start to life as Chelsea manager by sanctioning a £7.5 million move for Aston Villa Martinez. The dramatic transfer sees the experienced Argentina international replace Sanchez at Stamford Bridge.

Alonso had previously insisted he was content with his goalkeeping options, including Sanchez and inexperienced understudy Mike Penders. However, the Spanish boss rapidly changed his mind following Sanchez’s two high-profile errors during Monday’s win over Fulham. The Blues moved quickly to agree a cut-price fee for the veteran shot-stopper. Martinez is now set to step in as Chelsea's definitive number one.

Statistical comparisons from last season suggested little difference between Martinez and Sanchez, with the Argentine showing signs of wear and tear. However, former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop passionately dismissed those numbers. Speaking to ESPNFC, Hislop stated that Martinez is an undeniable improvement.

"You need somebody with a presence and Emi Martinez without question has that. He’s very good with the ball at his feet and I think he ticks a lot of boxes for Chelsea," Hislop explained.

"Emi Martinez is an upgrade on Sanchez, those numbers cover up the cracks and the truth. Emi Martinez is a far better goalkeeper. You have Emi Martinez, even at this stage of his career, ten times out of ten over Sanchez. It’s not even a discussion."

Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf believes Sanchez’s erratic goalkeeping has actively harmed the team's backline over the past three years. He argued that Martinez’s authoritative manner will hugely benefit central defenders like Levi Colwill and Maxence Lacroix.

"The numbers we saw they mean nothing," Leboeuf claimed, as quoted by Metro. "You have to put the percentage of trust defenders had last season in Martinez and the trust centre backs had in Sanchez. That I will give you a right number.

"I'm pretty sure Aston Villa had 100% trust in Emi Martinez and I give you 10% confidence of any centre back that played for Chelsea. Those are the right numbers. You know it’s crucial that if you have a goalkeeper that you trust behind you, you can give 100%. If you don’t trust you are going to have to be alert to everything and hesitate on every single decision you have to make."

Martinez's move to Chelsea now appears to be only a matter of time, with an official announcement expected in the coming hours or days. After that, the goalkeeper will integrate into his new surroundings as Chelsea look to build momentum under Alonso.