Former Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa stopper Shay Given has delivered his verdict on Martinez' failed transfer to United as he told 10bet: "It felt very close in the window just gone past, with him not playing. I think Villa played in a live game on deadline day, and he wasn’t in the squad. Everyone thought he was off, maybe to Manchester United, but that didn't happen. Then he came back as number one again to Villa. He’s playing again, he’s their top man. I don’t know if the ship has sailed for a move next summer. Manchester United? Probably, not that Senne Lammens has arrived and done really well. Maybe it was a chance in a lifetime for Emi, and it’s been missed now.
"Unless Emi Martinez is thinking of heading to another country. But he's had a phenomenal time, hasn't he, for club and country. He won the World Cup, I mean, that's just incredible. That save at the end of the World Cup final and they go up the other end, that's stuff of dreams, isn't it? He's an absolute hero in Argentina, and he's got a real personality. Maybe with his age, teams will be looking at younger options instead from next year, but he's still a brilliant goalkeeper, in my opinion."
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