Eddie Howe will take his side to Villa Park for their opening fixture of the 2025-26 season
Comments
Aston Villa keeper Emi Martinez
Aston Villa keeper Emi Martinez(Image: Cameron Smith - Danehouse/Getty Images.)
Aston Villa could be forced into major transfer action ahead of Newcastle United's visit in August, with goalkeeper Emi Martinez set to move to Manchester United.
The Magpies will get their season under way against Unai Emery's side at Villa Park on Saturday, August 16, with the 12.30pm kick-off shown live on TNT Sports.
However, Villa are facing a goalkeeper crisis ahead of the new season, with Martinez set to move to Old Trafford.
The 32-year-old has been indentified by Ruben Amorim as the man to replace Andre Onana between the posts, with the Cameroon goalkeeper free to leave the club.
Villa are also losing back-up keeper Robin Olsen returning to his native Sweden with Malmo. However, even if Martinez stays, he will not be abe to play against Newcastle on the opening day.
This is because the Argentinian World Cup winner was sent off on the final game of last season - a controversial defeat to Man United which helped Newcastle secure fifth place.
As a result, he will be suspended when the season starts, meaning Emery will have to find keeper cover irrespective of whether his No 1 moves on.
Manchester United's Andre Onana
Manchester United's Andre Onana(Image: Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images.)
Martinez had been linked with several sides, but is said to prefer a move to Man United, and former England keeper Ben Foster feels it will be a big blow for Villa.
"That's a good move for Man United and it's going to be a massive miss for Aston Villa," Foster said on his 'Fozcast' podcast. "For me, if they ose him or the manager, it's a big problem.
"What Man United have got ahead of others is global appeal. If he signs for Manchester United, everything just gets bumped and his wages are going to go up.
"He's definitely going somewhere, because nobody cries on the pitch at the end of the season otherwise."
Content Image
Content Image
Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Newcastle United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.