It’s been quite the journey for Emiliano Martinez since he joined Aston Villa in September 2020, as the Argentine goalkeeper continues to go from strength to strength.
As per BBC Sport, Villa spent £17m to prise him away from Arsenal, and it has already proven to be a superb bit of business from the club’s hierarchy.
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Martinez wasted little time in establishing himself as a pivotal figure in our side, and he has continued to grow into that role and has emerged as one of the most influential and important players in Dean Smith’s current squad.
His club form has subsequently also led to him cementing his spot as Argentina’s No.1, and so it’s been a joy to see how his career has progressed since he joined Villa.
Martinez emerging as one of world’s top goalkeepers
Opinions will naturally vary, but the facts and figures tell their own story on Martinez.
Crowned our Supporters’ Player of the Season last year, the Argentine shot-stopper has kept 18 clean sheets in 44 appearances for Villa, conceding 52 goals.
Further, he’s now earned 11 caps for Argentina, kept seven clean sheets and conceded just four goals, while he secured a Copa America winners medal over the summer too.
It’s been a memorable period in his career after so many frustrations at Arsenal before showing his quality at the highest level in the latter stages of his stint in north London, and it’s hoped that the 29-year-old has many more years and fond memories in a Villa shirt moving forward.
From his heart-warming affinity for the club as displayed prior to this season when describing Villa as a ‘big club’ to his performances on the pitch, Martinez is rapidly becoming one of the finest players, goalkeeper or outfield, to have played for us, and it’s hoped that we’re just scratching the surface thus far.
There are several world-class goalkeepers around Europe performing at a really high level, but with the figures below in mind and how Martinez is maturing and developing his game continuously as he steps up to compete with the best, there is a real argument to make in favour of him being considered amongst that group too.
Emiliano Martinez since joining Villa:
🅰 44 appearances
⛔️ 18 clean sheets
❌ 52 goals conceded
🏆 Supporters' Player of the Season 2020/21🇦🇷 10 caps
⛔️ 6 clean sheets
❌ 4 goals conceded
🏆 Copa America 2021 winner💜💙#avfc #UTV pic.twitter.com/4jF57osoUB
— Talk Villa (@thetalkvilla) October 10, 2021
