Chelsea agree Martyn fee

14 April 2012

Nigel Martyn is set to join Chelsea over the weekend after Leeds United accepted a £500,000 bid for the former England international goalkeeper.

Leeds manager Peter Reid is under strict orders to raise money, and with Paul Robinson now likely to stay at the Yorkshire club, he has reluctantly decided to cash in on 36-year-old Martyn.

Although he is unlikely to displace Carlo Cudicini in the first team, Martyn, who will be offered a two-year deal, will strengthen the Chelsea squad.

Chelsea have already signed two keepers over the summer. But former Sunderland player Jurgen Macho damaged his ankle ligaments in training and will miss most of the season, while Claudio Ranieri is believed to have doubts over the quality of Italian Marco Ambrosio. Chelsea also recently released the former England Under-21 international keeper Rhys Evans.

Chelsea fans should have the opportunity of seeing all four summer signings in tandem for the first time in tomorrow's friendly at Crystal Palace.

Glen Johnson, who cost £6million from West Ham, Wayne Bridge, a £7m buy from Southampton and Damien Duff, who was prised away from Blackburn for £17m, all figured in the club's successful Asia Cup campaign and now the fourth member of the new quartet, midfield star Geremi, should feature at some stage of the friendly at Selhurst Park.

Geremi, who cost £7m from Real Madrid, was on Confederations Cup duty with Cameroon and, along with Chelsea's French internationals Marcel Desailly and William Gallas, only returned to training earlier this week.

All three are expected to be included tomorrow night, however, as Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri selects from a full-strength squad.

Ranieri is a long-time admirer of Geremi, who was on loan at Middlesbrough last season, and made an attempt to buy him a year ago.

He was unsuccessful on that occasion but has landed his man this time, thanks to the considerable finances of new owner Roman Abramovich.

With more new signings expected before the start of the season, Chelsea's established stars know they have to perform to hang on to their places.

Geremi is expected to contest the right side of midfield with Danish star Jesper Gronkjaer who said: "It is unsettling because we read the newspaper as well. I know I have to perform consistently and I have been working hard."

It is uncertain, meanwhile, whether Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit, who has been carrying an injury, will be fit enough to be included.

Petit, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona, said yesterday he has no interest in a move across London to Tottenham and intends to stay and fight for his place.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola is continuing to bang in the goals during preseason training and nabbed a hattrick within 15 first-half minutes as his new side Cagliari beat Trentino Team 7-2 in a friendly. Zola scored four goals on his Cagliari debut last week.

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Chelsea agree Martyn fee

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