The rapid squad number change comes shortly after Martinez publicly revealed he had sought Terry’s blessing to wear his former digits. The goalkeeper noted his previous experience wearing the number on loan and shared his excitement at taking up the mantle 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 explained. “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 heavily endorsed the move, labelling Martinez the 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.”