DepartureloomingdespiteChampionsLeaguereturn
Theemotionalfarewellfeltlikeasign.AfterAstonVilla’spivotalvictoryoverTottenhamHotspur,EmilianoMartinezlingeredlongerthanusualontheVillaParkturf.WhilefansbaskedintheglowofwhatmayhavebeenaChampionsLeague-clinchingresult,thegoalkeeper’sbodylanguagehintedatsomethingelse –anending.
Photo IMAGO
AccordingtoGiveMeSport,sourcesclosetotheclubbelieveMartinezcouldbeheadingfortheexit,withAtleticoMadridleadingthechargetosecurehisservices.It’sunderstoodVillawouldbeopentoasaleshouldthe32-year-oldexpressadesiretoleave,despitebeingundercontractuntil2028andearning £150,000perweek.
Thissummercouldmarkapoignantcrossroad.Ontheonehand,VillaarerisingagainunderUnaiEmery,finallycrackingintothetoptierofEuropeanfootball.Ontheother,theirfirst-choicegoalkeeper –andWorldCupwinner –couldbetemptedbyafreshchallengeinLaLiga.
AtleticoMadridmaketheirmove
ThetimingofAtletico’sinterestfeelsdeliberate.WithJanOblakpotentiallysetforadepartureasDiegoSimeonerefresheshissquadattheRiyadhAirMetropolitano,Martinezhasemergedasakeytarget.SourcessuggesttheSpanishgiantsarewillingtomeetVilla’s £40millionvaluation,knowingotherclubs –includingManchesterUnited –aremonitoringdevelopmentsclosely.
Photo: IMAGO
Martinez’sCVmakeshimacompellingtarget:aCopaAmericachampion,WorldCupwinnerandarguablyoneofthePremierLeague’smostconsistentkeepersoverthepastthreeseasons.Addtothathisexperienceinhigh-pressuremoments,andit’slittlesurpriseclubsofAtletico’sstaturearecircling.
Emerypreparescontingencyplans
UnaiEmeryisnotunawareoftheshiftinglandscape.WhileVillapreparetowelcomeYasinÖzcanina £6milliondealfromKasimpasa,attentionisalsobeingpaidtolifebeyondMartinez.GiveMeSportnotesinterestinEspanyol’sJoanGarcia,althoughhisreleaseclauseissettoincreasefrom £21millionto £25millionshouldheearnaSpaincap.
Photo IMAGO
Liverpool’sCaoimhinKelleherisalsobeingconsidered,withtheIrishinternationalreportedlyseekingmoregametimeashecontinuestoplayunderstudytoAlissonBecker.
Photo: IMAGO
There’sasensethatVilla,underEmery,areevolvingwithprecision,addingyouth,scoutingastutely,andnow,possiblyreshapingoneofthefewpositionsthathadseemedfullysecure.
Europeremainsthepriority
WhileinterestfromtheSaudiProLeaguelingersinthebackground,Martinez’spreferenceistoremaininEurope.TheprojectatAtletico,withChampionsLeaguefootballandademandingbuttacticallysophisticatedmanagerinSimeone,appearstoalignwellwithhisambitions.
DanBardellofSkySports describedMartinezas “world-class,”andit’sthatstandardthatVillamaysoonlose –unlesstheemotionalsceneslastweekendweremerelysentimental,ratherthansymbolic.
Martinez’spotentialdeparture,justasVillascalenewheights,isareminderofhowcyclicalelitefootballremains.Peaksandfarewellscanarrivesimultaneously.
OurView –EPLIndexAnalysis
ForVillafans,thiswillfeelliketerribletiming. They’vefoughttoothandnailtoearntheirplaceintheChampionsLeague,arguablythemostambitiouscampaigninageneration,andnowthecornerstoneofthatsuccesslooksreadytowalk.
NoonequestionsMartinez’scontribution.FromheroicshootoutsinQatartomatch-winningsavesinclaretandblue,he’sbeenimmense.Butwhyleavenow?Whynotbepartofwhatyou’vehelpedbuild?
Yes,AtleticoMadridareanelitesideandLaLigacarriesglamour.ButVilla arenotthatfarbehindanymore.WithEmery’sproject,Villaareonalegitimatetrajectory,andit will befrustratingto fans tothink theymightlosesomeoneofhiscalibrejustastherewardsofprogressarrive.
Evenworseistheideathat theymighthavetoscrambleforreplacementsduringasummerwheneverytopclubischasingagoalkeeper.Villa havebeenproactiveinotherareas,butreplacinga ‘keeperofMartinez’spresencewon’tbeeasy.