It has been a summer of unexpected change for Aston Villa so far. They gained a British record signing of Morgan Rodgers and also lost Youri Tielemans to Manchester United.
Johan Manzambi, João Gomez and Alejandro Garnacho all arrived in their place, giving Unai Emery his chance to make a big splash at Villa Park.
But there is still another story waiting to unfold, and it involves Emiliano Martinez. This time last year, the Argentine shot-stopper looked like he was headed for the exit. He even waved goodbye to Villa Park in a moment that quickly became awkward if he stayed put.
Twelve months later, interest from Juventus has further fueled fears that the player could leave. These concerns are becoming more and more real this time as well.
Who will replace Emi Martinez at Aston Villa? | |
|---|---|
Suzuki Zion (Parma) | Aston Villa were well aware of Martinez’s possible departure all summer and had already identified players such as Zion Suzuki as a result. Parma’s goalkeeper had a solid performance at the World Cup with Japan, maintaining an impressive save percentage of 70.6%, just 1.4% lower than Martinez in the tournament. |
Noah Atbolu (Freiburg) | Another option is Noah Atubor. The Freiburg shot-stopper caught the attention of Villa after an excellent season in the Bundesliga where he made 102 saves and created three chances. The 24-year-old could be Villa’s No. 1 for years to come. |
Lucas Chevalier (PSG) | In theory, Lucas Chevalier should be the best option. However, his stock dropped dramatically after his disappointing debut with PSG. Now, even if Martinez leaves, you can say he needs Aston Villa as much as Aston Villa need him. |
Aston Villa have a lot to think about, but before they begin their search for Martinez’s replacement, it’s up to Juventus to decide if they’re worth the Villans’ asking price.
Aston Villa negotiations continue, Juventus agree to sign Martinez
As reported by Italian journalist Alessio Lento and broadcast by Sport Witness, Juventus have agreed to a contract with Martinez and will now have to turn to inter-club negotiations to finalize the deal.
Negotiations will reportedly have to be “substantial” if Juventus want to sign the shot-stopper, with the Italian club still a long way from meeting Villa’s asking price. However, Torino officials have no intention of giving up on signing Martinez any time soon.
Aston Villa proved tough negotiators when they sold Rodgers for a record price this summer and are unlikely to accept less than their valuation for Martinez.
While Martinez will be in the spotlight, Aston Villa could sneak in an extra point. This time, Bologna have reportedly contacted Jonathan Lowe to sign him.
The former Norwich City star impressed in Italy and dominated Matty Cash when Aston Villa faced Bologna in last season’s Europa League.
A return to English football would be a natural fit for a player who contributed to 13 goals in all competitions last season.
