Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez continues to be paired with a move elsewhere this summer, but there have been no advanced talks over an exit as of yet.
The 32-year-old has been a fundamental presence in our progression since he arrived in 2020, and with his experience, leadership and ability to be decisive in between the posts, he has helped drive our development into a side capable of competing at a higher level.
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With four more years remaining on his current contract, having signed an extension last August, it’s hoped that the Argentine shot-stopper remains a pivotal part of the team in the coming seasons, but speculation continues to link him with a potential exit this summer.
Speaking to DAZN Futbol in Spain, Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Martinez ‘wants something different in his career’ and him leaving is a ‘very real possibility’, and although he has offers from Saudi Arabia, he would prefer to wait for an opportunity in Europe.
Despite the ongoing chatter over his future though, Romano adds that there are no advanced talks with any interested parties currently as the goalkeeper market is a bit slower than other positions, and there will be a wait for a domino to fall before there is clarity on where Martinez might end up.
Villa are in a predicament this month as we look to balance our books through player sales to ensure we remain complaint with PSR and SCR, and as one of our most prized assets who could command a significant fee, it’s natural that Martinez would be a candidate to be sacrificed.
However, it’s clearly not as simple as that with how the market works, and so time will tell if he remains beyond this summer, albeit it’s perhaps slightly disappointing if Romano is accurate in his suggestion that Martinez wishes to experience a new challenge elsewhere at this stage of his career.
Nevertheless, Villa will have their valuation of the player, and time will tell if any interested party is able to match that and make a suitable offer to move us closer to a scenario where we’re in the market for a new first-choice goalkeeper ahead of next season.
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