Manchester United have a “specific interest” in signing Argentine World Cup hero Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa.
The report comes from Football Insider, who claims that the goalkeeper is among the candidates to replace David de Gea.
The Spaniard’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season and while United have the option to extend the deal for a further twelve months, they are unlikely to exercise it.
De Gea’s £375,000 a week salary, the highest salary ever paid to a Spanish footballer or goalkeeper of any nationality, makes that clause undesirable for the club at this stage.
Instead, the Red Devils appear willing to offer their number one a new contract on reduced terms.
If a deal is struck between De Gea and United, it’s unlikely they’ll sanction a big outlay for a new goalkeeper, and Martinez certainly wouldn’t come cheap.
The Argentine has a contract at Villa Park until 2027 and his value has skyrocketed since his signing for 17.4 million euros from Arsenal.
He has been a consistent performer in the Premier League for the past two and a half seasons, and his exceptional displays for his country during the FIFA World Cup have only added to his value considerably.
But if De Gea decides to move on rather than accept whatever pay cut United end up offering him, Erik ten Hag will likely have his choice of goalkeepers.
Martinez is a shot stopper for his rival De Gea and his presence would be a huge boost to just about any defense in world soccer.
He ranks in the top 2% of all goalkeepers in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues by percentage of saved crosses. De Gea, by contrast, is in the bottom 6%.
That could be a key factor in improving Man United’s defense in the future. Ten Hag’s side remains vulnerable to cross-threat teams and he will most likely continue until he replaces De Gea.
Distribution-wise, MartÃnez is superior to De Gea (most goalkeepers are), but it’s perhaps notable that the Argentinian star rarely does much sweeping, though you could put that down to the teams he’s played for, with both club and country often defending in low blocks.
At 30, the Villa goalkeeper still has many good years ahead of him in which he could well add to his game, although his viability as a transfer target will largely come down to the kind of fee his club expects.
The reported tensions between Emiliano Martinez and new Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, dating back to their time together at Arsenal, could grant some leeway in that regard.
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