Aston Villa and Emiliano Martinez have an uncertain future together next season following conflicting reports regarding the goalkeeper’s status.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been at the centre of exit rumours over the last two summers. Last summer, he was linked with Manchester United. The move was reportedly close but was cancelled at the last minute due to the Red Devils’ decision to sign Senne Lammens instead.
This summer, the 33-year-old goalkeeper has been linked with Juventus. There have been rumours that the Argentine has agreed personal terms to switch to Italy. However, La Vecchia Signora have yet to meet Aston Villa’s asking price.
So far, there has been no official statement from Martinez himself, as he is still fully focused on his second World Cup final. All rumours and updates have mainly come from the Italian giants or the shot-stopper’s agent.
Nevertheless, everything will have to be formally decided next week after the World Cup so that both parties can clarify the situation and move on, either together or separately. Unfortunately, there have been conflicting reports, leaving fans uncertain.
The Lions have apparently taken a firm stance in their talks with Juventus, indicating that there is no agreement between the clubs yet. The rumour that Villa were willing to lower their asking price from £10.2 million to £6 million to match the Italian side’s offer appears to be unsubstantiated.
The club’s Director of Football Operations, Damian Vidagany, released a statement, as reported by Birmingham Live, confirming Villa’s position regarding Martinez’s future.
“The goalkeeper’s future is settled, he is staying with us, and we have no intention of letting him go this summer. The team needs his efforts and extensive experience, and he is a very important element in our project for next season.
“All the news published by the media about his departure to Juventus does not reflect the club’s true position. Martinez is a very important player for us, and we expect him to continue delivering his outstanding performances alongside his teammates.”
The club’s statement appears to annoy the Martinez, who is seeking for a new challenge, despite missing out Champions League next season. The player’s frustration has been reported according to Gazzetta dello Sport via Goal.com.
“Villa have publicly insisted that their star man is not for sale, but this firm position has not sat well with Martinez. The Argentine made it clear through his representatives that he has no intention of staying at Villa Park and is prepared to fight for an exit to join Juventus.”
So far, according to a number of reports, the former Arsenal goalkeeper has reached a verbal agreement with Juventus to accept a lower salary in order to complete the move. His current salary is £7.8 million per season, while in Italy he would reportedly earn only £6 million, a reduction Martinez is said to have accepted.
Thus, it will be interesting to see whether the Argentina shot-stopper pushes for the move, perhaps even paying part of his own transfer fee to facilitate a switch to Turin, or remains at Villa Park until his contract expires. His current deal runs until the summer of 2029.
The post Will Aston Villa and Emiliano Martinez part ways this summer? appeared first on AVillaFan.com – Aston Villa Fan Site.
