Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has opened up on several key topics including his love for the club and the objective he wants to achieve with us.
Speculation is seemingly building over his future, with the Daily Mail reporting this week that Villa will listen to offers for him this summer, but will demand a significant fee to possibly green light an exit.
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It comes just weeks after the 30-year-old gave an interview and spoke about his ambitions of winning the Champions League to add to his World Cup, as per Ole, and while he reiterated in that interview that ideally he would like to do it with Villa, he was frank in his concession that we’re not ready to compete at that level any time soon.
Following on from his influential role for Argentina at the World Cup last year, rumours over his future at Villa were always expected, but one thing Martinez has always been clear about is how much he loves Villa and how grateful he is for the role the club has played in getting him into the position he is in today.
That was a sentiment that he reemphasised this week, and while he seems adamant that he wants to win a trophy with us and believes in what the owners and Unai Emery are trying to build, time will tell if he will remain a fundamental figure in that plan moving forward.
“I love this club,” he told Sky Sports. “I wanted to be here as soon as possible [after the World Cup]. I had to enjoy it with my country, but once I was here, I was fully focused on this club.
“The club gave me everything and I’m grateful to be here.
“We’re a mid-table team trying to reach Europe. Like I said, I want to win a trophy for Aston Villa, and I truly believe that I can help this club to do it. We all need to believe in our words.
“The owners really want to make that next step, to be in Europe and fight for trophies. We’ve got one of the best managers in the world, one of the most successful in Europe. We truly believe this man can make great things for the club.”
It’s going to be a crucial summer as Emery will be backed to really stamp his mark on the squad and mould it into his own, and so it remains to be seen firstly if a major offer comes in for Martinez, and subsequently if it’s enough for us to approve of a departure if he’s keen to move on.
Based on his words above, it doesn’t sound as though an exit is a priority for him in the near future, and so perhaps with Emery’s first full season in charge to look forward to, it could be an important factor in convincing him to stay on for at least another year.
Martinez is no doubt a world-class shot-stopper, but there are also question marks over whether or not he is best suited to the style of play Emery is looking for. In turn, while Villa are in a strong position to demand a big fee this summer given his contract runs until 2027, it will be interesting to see whether Martinez is kept at all costs, or if both parties are open to an exit at the end of the season if the right proposal arrives and satisfies all concerned.