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Emi Martinez has changed his Chelsea squad number only days after taking over John Terry’s famous No.26 jersey. After Robert Sanchez’s deadline-day move to Como, the Argentina international has quickly taken the vacant No.1 shirt, despite having earlier said he would wear the legendary defender’s number with immense ‘pride’.

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Martinez’s sudden switch

Martinez joined Stamford Bridge in a £7.5 million move from Aston Villa and immediately asked for the No.26 shirt. The 34-year-old even wore that jersey on his debut, helping the Blues claim a dramatic 4-3 win over Brighton.

But the goalkeeper has already decided to switch after Sanchez’s deadline-day loan move to Como. The Spaniard’s departure left the prestigious No.1 shirt available, leading the Argentina international to promptly upgrade his squad number.

Chelsea have confirmed the change and also announced a special gesture for supporters who had already bought the original shirt. Fans who purchased a ‘Martinez 26’ jersey from the official club megastore or website can take it to Stamford Bridge by October 4, along with proof of purchase, to have it personally signed by the new goalkeeper.

Terry’s blessing

The swift squad-number switch comes soon after Martinez publicly said he had asked Terry for permission to wear his former number. The goalkeeper referred to his previous experience of wearing the number on loan and spoke about his excitement at taking on that responsibility at Stamford Bridge.

“John was someone I spoke to before I joined, and he said he was over the moon to have me here,” Martinez said. “The morning I signed, I texted him and said, ‘I’m wearing your shirt, and I’m going to do it with pride’.”

Terry himself had strongly backed the transfer, calling Martinez a potential signing of the summer. “If I had the choice of any goalkeeper in the world, he would be right at the very top for me,” the former Chelsea captain said. “We signed him at Aston Villa from Arsenal and he was unbelievable. The confidence he shows, the way he trains, the influence he had on a group of players, the mindset is incredible.”

A heavy legacy

Terry was delighted to see a player with Martinez’s mentality take his legendary shirt, saying the two shared the same hatred of conceding goals. “He’s taking the 26 shirt, yes, we’ve given the green light,” Terry had said. “You know why? Because he loves keeping clean sheets as much as I did when I wore the 26 shirt.”

Even with that mutual respect, Martinez will now carve out his own journey in the traditional No.1 shirt. Since Terry’s retirement, the No.26 has not been held for long by anyone. Kalidou Koulibaly wore it briefly during his time in London, while academy graduate Levi Colwill used it for one season before changing to the No.6 shirt.

Arsenal test looms

Martinez is now expected to make his first appearance in the new No.1 jersey when Chelsea travel to the Emirates Stadium to play Arsenal. The upcoming meeting with his former club adds an interesting twist to his recent squad-number change, as the Argentine famously wore the No.26 shirt during his spell in north London.

With Sanchez out on loan, Martinez has firmly established himself as the clear first-choice goalkeeper as the Blues aim to build important momentum after their chaotic victory over Brighton.