Chelsea completed a late transfer for Emi Martinez after Manchester United decided against pursuing the Argentina international.
United had considered Martinez as a potential option when it became apparent he might leave Aston Villa last season, yet the club ultimately opted to pursue a younger alternative instead.
The 34-year-old completed his move to Stamford Bridge at the end of August, with the fee understood to be around £7.5million.
Rather than pursuing the former Arsenal goalkeeper, United finalised a deal for Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.
The Belgium international arrived at Old Trafford in September last year under Ruben Amorim’s management, with the transfer costing approximately £18.2million plus potential add-ons.
United’s decision to target Lammens came after Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir were given opportunities to establish themselves as the club’s primary goalkeeper but failed to meet expectations.
Lammens was selected partly because he is ten years younger than Martinez.
Additionally, acquiring the Villa shot-stopper would have required paying roughly double the amount United spent on Lammens, who was 24 years old at the time of his signing.
Financial considerations also played a significant role in United’s thinking.
Martinez would have demanded wages in the region of £200,000 per week.
With the club having already expended more than £200million during that summer period, adhering to Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules became a critical factor in the recruitment strategy.
Lammens proved to be a successful acquisition for United.
The Belgian made 32 Premier League appearances during his debut season and recorded eight clean sheets, contributing to his team’s third-place finish and subsequent qualification for the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Martinez remained at Villa Park for another campaign and helped Unai Emery’s side win the Europa League, capturing the first major European trophy of his career.
This summer, Martinez was among seven first-team players who departed Villa.
He became Chelsea’s final acquisition of the transfer window.
The move was facilitated after Robert Sanchez, who had started between the posts during Chelsea’s opening-day 3-2 victory over Fulham, was sent to Como on deadline day.
Martinez subsequently made his first appearance for the club in their 4-3 win against Brighton.