Manchester United are revelling in their capture of Senne Lammens as their goalkeeper, but the whole saga has left Emiliano Martinez in an awkward position, to say the least.
Once Man Utd revived their interest in Emi Martinez, the deal progressed so quickly that it didn’t even occur to many how it was just a negotiation masterstroke by Ineos.
Martinez was desperate to come to Old Trafford, a behaviour which likely put Unai Emery off on his first-choice goalkeeper.
Ultimately, not only did he fail to get his move, but United ended their interest entirely, leaving Martinez to engineer an awkward reunion at Aston Villa. Now, he’s been sent a warning.
Emiliano Martinez plays a pass while in green Argentina goalkeeper kit.
Photo by JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images
Emiliano Martinez warned after Man Utd snub
For Emi Martinez, Man Utd represented the perfect opportunity at this stage of his career.
He’s a superstar in Argentina, the architect behind their international domination, and his leadership alone makes him a valuable asset to any team.
He wanted to move to a club with a higher profile to match his international ambitions, but he was left wondering what could have been after the door closed.
Now, in a World Cup year, Martinez will have to go back to the club he had mentally exited and prove himself all over again.
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Legendary Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea, speaking to TNT Sports in Argentina, has warned Martinez that this upheaval can’t be good for his national team prospects.
Goycochea said: “It’s not the ideal situation to be living in 10 months before the World Cup. He’s proven himself. His emergence, his journey, as he himself put it, his mental strength, and the professional support he’s had—it’s all good.
“He’s a guy with a lot of personality, and all that stuff he puts to his advantage in a lot of situations that make a difference. We’ll have to see how it plays out for him right now. That’s the only thing that scares me.”
Emi Martinez will influence Senne Lammens’ narrative
Due to the way Man Utd went about securing Lammens over Martinez, the Belgian’s narrative has become inextricably linked to Martinez’s.
Lammens is at an extremely different stage to Martinez in his career, but if the Argentinian re-establishes himself at Villa and starts playing well, the spotlight will fall on Lammens.
United would want Lammens to answer the naysayers quickly so that they can move on from his saga.
It would have undoubtedly left a sour taste in Martinez’s mouth, and his game against Man Utd has suddenly become must-watch.
His mentality was one of the key things in his favour regarding a move to Man Utd, and it is that mentality which will be tested in the wake of the snub.
That’s none of United’s concern, however, who will just back Lammens to be good now, and even better later. The latter wasn’t a possibility with signing a 32-year-old Martinez.