Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has said that Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was excited about the prospect of playing for Manchester United.
The Red Devils agreed on personal terms with the 33-year-old during the final days of the transfer window, but a transfer did not materialise due to Jadon Sancho’s stance.
United wanted to include Sancho in a part-exchange deal for Martinez, but the England international turned down the move. He opted to join Villa on a season-long loan instead.
Hence, Martinez’s proposed move to Old Trafford collapsed. Villa were not keen on a loan deal.
The Red Devils ended up signing Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens on deadline day.
Speaking in yesterday’s press conference, Scaloni said that Martinez was obviously ‘excited to play for Manchester United’, but he has got over his disappointment.
He said: “Dibu is fine. His move didn’t go through.”
“He was happy for his birthday. Obviously, he was excited to play for Manchester United, but he’s a positive kid who’s thinking about us, and when he returns, he’ll be thinking about his club.
“We’ll wait and see what happens with Dibu. It’s true that we’re interested in him playing, but we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves.
“I understand that if he stays, he’ll continue to play, but there’s no need to get ahead of himself.”
Martinez has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League over the past five years.
He has made a big contribution to Villa, who have qualified for Europe in the last three seasons.
The £40 million-rated star was ready to pursue a bigger challenge with United, but a deal did not materialise due to Sancho’s reluctance to join Villa permanently.
United would have benefited from his vast Premier League experience. He would have required no time to adapt, having played almost 200 games in the English top tier.
A move was not meant to be. The Red Devils still ended the transfer window on a high by purchasing Lammens, who has arrived with a glowing reputation from Belgium.
The 23-year-old has superb reflexes and saved 77 percent of his shots last campaign. He also completed 71 percent of his passes with an average of almost eight long balls.
Lammens also saved four penalties in the Pro League last season. He has immense potential and could become United’s undisputed goalkeeper in a short space of time.
Stats from Sofascore.com