Aston Villa cannot afford Emi Martinez situation as biggest problem glaring
Emi Martinez has achieved most of the major goals he set out to accomplish at Aston Villa, and the club shouldn’t stand in his way if he wants a new challenge this summer.
In the final hours of last summer’s transfer window, Martinez still held out hope of moving on after opening the door to a switch to Old Trafford. However, he remained in Unai Emery’s squad and quickly reminded fans of the quality Villa have between the sticks.
Although past his peak market value, with his 34th birthday approaching in September, Martinez believes he still has time left at the top level. Villa can offer that platform, but the prospect of a fresh opportunity could motivate him to agree to an exit, if he chooses.
Martinez has played in Europe for three seasons with Villa, including in the Champions League, and also won the Europa League last month, ending the club’s 30-year wait for silverware.
Winning a trophy was an ambitious objective Martinez set when he joined the club in 2020, shortly after lifting the FA Cup with Arsenal following his rapid rise during the closing weeks of the 2019/20 season under Mikel Arteta.
He fought back tears in a pre-match press conference before facing Freiburg in Istanbul, speaking about taking his family out of poverty and the sacrifices he made to reach this point.
Villa have provided the opportunity for him to realise his biggest career ambition: representing Argentina. Winning the Copa America and the World Cup established Martinez as one of, if not the best, goalkeepers in the world at one stage.
Unai Emery left Martinez out of the squad to face Crystal Palace on the eve of deadline day due to uncertainty surrounding his future. The Villa boss has often spoken about how that situation affected Martinez's focus, which improved as the season progressed.
Villa cannot afford another 'Martinez saga' this summer. If he feels his time at the club has come to an end, it could be in everyone's best interests to part ways. However, his options may be limited, and if he leaves Villa, there is no guarantee he will even be playing Champions League football next season.
Juventus could be a potential destination. After failing to secure Alisson from Liverpool, the Serie A giants have turned their attention to Martinez, who is now understood to be their primary target.
Agreeing personal terms may prove the biggest obstacle, while Villa are unlikely to demand a huge transfer fee given his age, despite him having three years remaining on his contract.
If Martinez does leave, it would likely be under more amicable circumstances than last summer, especially after helping deliver European glory. However, replacing him would be extremely difficult.
He has been a commanding presence in Villa’s defence and, for several years, one of the top goalkeepers in Europe - not just the Premier League.
While Villa may look to reduce the average age of their squad, goalkeeper is one position where experience remains invaluable.
Potential replacements are likely to be younger, with Villa previously linked to Senne Lammens and Lucas Chevalier, and currently monitoring options such as Robin Risser, James Trafford, and Bart Verbruggen.
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