Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been likened to Fabian Barthez, but also sent a Massimo Taibi warning amid Manchester United transfer talk.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Argentina international is seeing a move away from Villa Park speculated on as the summer window opens for business once more. Martinez is, as a World Cup winner, proven at the very highest level.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
United are open to the idea of bringing in a new No.1 after seeing Cameroonian custodian Andre Onana make a number of costly errors across his two seasons in English football. There have been suggestions that Martinez would come with a £40 million ($54m) price tag.
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Andre Onana Emi Martinez 2024-25Getty/GOAL
DID YOU KNOW
That could be considered a shrewd investment by those at Old Trafford, as they endeavour to find a reliable last line of defence, but there is no guarantee that Martinez would be a success - with United boasting a mixed record when it comes to goalkeeper additions.
WHAT HESKEY SAID
Former Villa striker Emile Heskey has told Prime Casino of Martinez potentially swapping the West Midlands for the North West: “He's got the presence to play for Manchester United. And he's very confident. Whoever goes into Man United, you have to have some serious presence. You have to have some serious belief in yourself. And I think he's got that because the pressure is going to be on from day dot, because when you look at Onana, his confidence is on the floor.
“Whoever comes in next, they have to hit the ground running. Emi is an interesting character, and you’d need to be that to take on a challenge like United right now.
“He’s probably the closest goalkeeper in attitude to Fabien Barthez, and you need that. It’s a huge club, absolutely massive. He’s won the World Cup, he’s played with Lionel Messi, so he’s well suited as far as we can tell.
“We won’t know for sure until and unless he moves, because we’ve seen goalkeepers crumble in minutes, like Massimo Taibi, with the pressure of United. They make a few mistakes and then you never see them again. The only reason that’s not happened to Onana yet is because their other keepers are no better than him. If you can’t look to your number two at all to take the pressure off, then there’s a huge issue there.”
Emi Martinez Aston Villa 2024-25Getty
WHAT NEXT FOR MARTINEZ?
Martinez is tied to a contract at Villa through to 2029, meaning that they have no need to sell unless their demands are met, while it has been claimed that United are prepared to give Onana another season to prove his worth as they invest transfer funds in other areas of the pitch.