Emiliano Martínez has switched from No26 to Chelsea’s No1 shirt after just one game for the club, a small change that says a lot about how quickly the goalkeeper picture has shifted.
Martínez made his Chelsea debut in the 4-3 win over Brighton last weekend wearing No26. That number was not random. The former Aston Villa goalkeeper initially chose it because of the legacy of Chelsea legend John Terry in that shirt. But after one appearance, Chelsea awarded him No1 instead.
Why the change happened
The shirt switch came after Chelsea’s original plan for the position was shaken up almost immediately. Before the new season, the club said it was content to go into the 2026-27 campaign with Robert Sanchez and Mike Penders as its first- and second-choice goalkeepers.
That outlook changed on opening night, when Robert Sanchez made two key errors in Chelsea’s 3-2 win at Fulham. Soon after Martínez’s arrival, Sanchez was informed he could leave Chelsea and was loaned to Como in Italy. With that move completed, Martínez moved into the No1 role.
In practical terms, the number change confirms where Chelsea now stands on its goalkeeper depth chart. Martínez arrived from Aston Villa for £7.5m and has already gone from squad addition to the club’s leading option between the posts. For Chelsea, it is a quick response to an early-season problem.
Mike Penders remains in the picture, but the immediate message is clear: Martínez is now wearing the shirt that signals he is first choice. After one game, Chelsea have already altered their goalkeeper hierarchy, and Emiliano Martínez Chelsea Number 1 is now the clearest sign of that shift.
