A sad potential departee but a likely one nonetheless, Martinez is up for sale to ease Villa’s PSR concerns. The two-time Yashin Trophy winner could leave for upwards of £35 million.placeholder image
A sad potential departee but a likely one nonetheless, Martinez is up for sale to ease Villa’s PSR concerns. The two-time Yashin Trophy winner could leave for upwards of £35 million. | Getty Images
Manchester United have been linked with a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez this summer.
Manchester United’s positional needs this summer span all across the pitch, after a disastrous Premier League season when Ruben Amorim’s side ended up finishing 15th in the table, in desperate need of improvement for next year.
One position of concern for Man United is the goalkeeper position, as there have been reports suggesting the Red Devils could replace Andre Onana, after a season full of mistakes and poor performances.
Man United should sign Mike Maignan rather than Emiliano Martinez
United have been very closely linked with Martinez this summer, as it has been reported that he could leave Aston Villa. A price as little as £16m has been suggested for the 32-year-old, who can easily be regarded as one of the best in the Premier League.
He made 37 Premier League appearances last year, conceding 45 goals and keeping nine clean sheets. However, at the age of 32, he would be a short-term fix for Amorim in goal, and they should look at an alternative target instead.
Earlier in the transfer window, Premier League rivals Chelsea were linked to signing AC Milan stopper Mike Maignan, who has just one year left on his contract at the club. It was reported that after Milan set a £25m asking price for the Frenchman, Chelsea opted not to pay it, despite Maignan’s reputation as one of the best in the world.
United should fork out the extra £9m and sign Maignan rather than Martinez, as he is arguably a better keeper, but also three years younger. At the age of 29, he could be United’s first-choice keeper for at least four years. If they could land him over Chelsea, it would be a massive coup for United, and a real ‘one-up’ on the Blues.
Last season, Maignan made 37 appearances in Serie A, conceding 41 goals and keeping 13 clean sheets. They are considerably better statistics compared to both Martinez and Onana, and United should really look at him.
Former France international striker and Ballon d’Or winner Jean-Pierre Papin heaped praise on Maignan earlier this season. He was quoted by Football Italia saying: “Right now, Maignan is the best goalkeeper in the world. He always makes two or three incredible saves per game, and then he never makes mistakes.”
What other keepers have Man United been linked to?
Another name is Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, who is £25m. The pair are expected to cost a lot more considering their age, but they would provide Amorim with a starting keeper for several years to come.
Continue Reading