Man Utd and Tottenham target ‘makes up his mind’ as Aston Villa told transfer decision

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has reportedly told the club he wants to leave in the summer in favour of playing Champions League football. Having won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in December, the talented man between the sticks is eager to progress amid interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The 30-year-old hasn’t been in the best form for Villa of late and that could perhaps be partly down to the distraction of intrigue for a move elsewhere. Unai Emery publicly slated the Argentine for his decision-making in the 4-2 defeat to Arsenal last week, adding fuel to the fire for a potential departure.

Losing 3-2 in the 96th minute, Martinez decided to dash up the field for a last-chance saloon situation when Villa were awarded a corner. Emery, furious down on the touchline, barked at the goalkeeper to stay in his own half but he ignored his manager’s instructions. Gabriel Martinelli scored from an Arsenal counter-attack that followed, rubbing salt in the Lions’ wounds.

According to The Daily Mail, Villa will consider offers for Martinez but a high price will need to be paid to lure him away. The player himself has “made clear his ambition to win the Champions League” and although he would love to do so with Villa, this is becoming increasingly unlikely. Goalkeepers often peak in their early 30s, so it feels like a now-or-never situation.

Bought for £16 million in 2020 from Arsenal, it is expected the Lions would want a fee far greater and perhaps one close to that of the current transfer record. Kepa Arrizabalaga is the world’s most expensive goalkeeper of all time following his £71 million move to Chelsea in 2018 – Martinez’s stock may not be too far away from that.

With 95 Villa appearances to his name in the Premier League, Martinez has kept 31 clean sheets and conceded 125 goals. If he were to head north west to Man Utd, he would likely be the man to put an end to David de Gea’s impressive reign at Old Trafford. If Tottenham were the club he went to, it would be a similar conclusion for the aging Hugo Lloris.