Emiliano Martinez in action for Aston Villa
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could leave the club if the right offer arrives this summer, transfer expert Dean Jones has claimed.
The Lowdown: Rare low point for Martinez
The 30-year-old has barely put a foot wrong in his career in recent times, proving to be one of Argentina’s star men at the 2022 World Cup and being the penalty shootout hero against both the Netherlands and France.
For Villa, Martinez has also been a model of consistency – Matty Cash has hailed him as ‘unbelievable’ – but his last-gasp own goal against former club Arsenal on Saturday was an undoubted low point for him, followed up by the decision to leave his goal gaping for another Gunners goal.
The Argentine has been linked with a move away from Villa Park recently and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away, with Unai Emery ripping into his last-minute antics on Saturday.
The Latest: Goalkeeper could leave Villa
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Martinez could well depart Villa in the summer is another club offers a sufficient amount of money for his services:
“To be honest, I think if the offer is big enough, it’s probably plausible. There’s been talk of him leaving before.”
The Verdict: Feels highly likely
It does feel increasingly likely that Martinez will leave Villa once the summer transfer window arrives, with the £120,000-a-week star potentially eyeing up a new challenge and Emery clearly not a fan.
He is arguably now seen as one of Europe’s leading ‘keepers, especially after his performances in Qatar, and a Champions League-playing club will hopefully come in with a bid NSWE will bite their hand off for.
The player himself has admitted he wants to play in Europe’s elite competition, which further adds fuel to the fire, and the fact that Martinez’s current Villa deal doesn’t expire until 2027 does put the Villans in a very strong position to demand a sizeable fee.
With that money, Emery could then further strengthen his squad, bringing in a strong replacement between the sticks but also adding in other key areas, such as signing a new striker.
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