Emi Martinez has swapped Chelsea’s No26 shirt for the No1, just one appearance after wearing the number previously made famous by club legend John Terry, following Robert Sanchez’s season-long loan move to Como which left the goalkeeper’s shirt vacant.
New Chelsea signing Emi Martinez has switched to the No1 shirt at the club, with the number confirming his status as the team’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper. Chelsea officially announced the change today, explaining that Robert Sanchez’s departure on a season-long loan to Como left the No1 shirt vacant, prompting Martinez to take it up. The move comes despite Martinez having initially chosen the No26, a number he had spoken about with pride due to its association with Chelsea legend John Terry.
From No26 to No1 in a single match
Martinez actually wore the No26 shirt during his Chelsea debut, starting in the club’s 4-3 win over Brighton at Stamford Bridge. The number had not been assigned to him as a temporary measure due to a lack of available options; it was officially given to Martinez when his transfer was completed, and he had spoken publicly about the significance of wearing Terry’s former number.
Martinez has said Terry personally played a role in convincing him to join Chelsea, having worked alongside him previously at Aston Villa. According to Martinez, Terry told him he was delighted about the move, and Martinez messaged Terry on the morning his transfer was completed, telling him he would wear his old shirt “with pride.”
Why Sanchez departed so suddenly
Robert Sanchez’s exit from the first-choice goalkeeping role came remarkably quickly following Martinez’s arrival. Sanchez started Chelsea’s opening league match of the season against Fulham but was dropped for the following game against Brighton after a series of errors. He has since joined Como on a season-long loan, with no option or obligation for the Italian club to make the move permanent, meaning Chelsea retain him and could see him return for the 2027-28 season.
Sanchez had originally been listed as Chelsea’s No1 in the club’s initial squad-number announcement for the 2026-27 season, but his loan move to Como subsequently created the vacancy that Martinez has now filled.
Martinez’s rapid rise to first choice
With Sanchez’s departure, Mike Penders becomes Martinez’s principal backup at Chelsea. Penders was on the bench for the Brighton match and went on to start the club’s League Cup fixture against Luton. Martinez’s swift elevation to the No1 shirt reflects more than a simple change of squad number: manager Xabi Alonso has effectively established him as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper only days after completing his signing.
Martinez joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for a reported £7.5 million, signing a three-year contract with the club. Villa had already brought in Japan international Zion Suzuki as his replacement before Martinez’s exit. His Chelsea debut came just hours after his transfer was officially confirmed, an unusually rapid introduction for a new arrival at the club.
Despite conceding three goals against Brighton, Martinez made several important saves during the match, helping Chelsea maintain a perfect start to their league campaign with a second consecutive victory.
Martinez’s ambitions at Chelsea
Martinez has said his goal at Chelsea extends beyond simply replacing Sanchez between the posts. He has described the club as one that “wins titles,” saying he wants to bring his winning mentality to Stamford Bridge as he looks to help the team compete for trophies.
The historical weight of Chelsea’s No26
Martinez’s original choice of the No26 shirt carried particular significance, given that only a small number of players have worn it since Terry left Chelsea in 2017, including Kalidou Koulibaly and, more recently, Levi Colwill. Martinez’s switch means he has gone from wearing Terry’s iconic number in his first Chelsea appearance to taking on the traditional goalkeeper’s No1 shirt after just a single match for the club.
