Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by MARA SOSTI/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have all apparently been linked with a move to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The 30-year-old once struggled for playing time at Arsenal. A transfer to Aston Villa in the summer of 2020 changed that. He has since been their No. 1 between the posts.
It led to Argentina picking him for the Copa America 2021 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup – and he played a major, major part in both those tournament wins. He was arguably La Albiceleste‘s most important player in Qatar apart from Lionel Messi.
It was Martinez’s heroics in penalty shootouts that defeated the Netherlands in the last eight and France in the final. Predictably, he has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa.
Perhaps they can’t match his ambitions anymore. According to TyC Sports journalist Gaston Edul, the Argentina international is ‘likely’ to change his club in the summer (as translated to English).
Do we need a new goalkeeper? Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga have done a fine job whenever they have been between the posts this season. But neither have been a regular starter throughout the campaign.
Mendy has surprisingly been benched for long spells for Kepa under Graham Potter and now Frank Lampard. Only time will tell if the 31-year-old would want to waste his prime years on the bench.
Unless one or both goalkeepers leave this summer and bring in a decent fee, it won’t be wise to go for Martinez. He still has a contract at Villa Park that expires only in 2027 (Transfermarkt) and one can imagine there will be a decent valuation placed on him.
Martinez is brilliant in penalty shootouts. His shot-stopping is good and his reflexes are fine. He may not be the neatest with the ball at his feet but he makes it work. This can be a good upgrade but we should only go for it after moving out one or both of Kepa and Mendy.
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