Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez reportedly wants to quit the club this summer, according to Football Insider.
What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Martinez?
Martinez has once again been a regular in the Midlands this season, making 35 appearances in all competitions, taking his total Villa tally to 110.
However, the 30-year-old appears to have a frosty relationship with Unai Emery, with the pair thought to have had a "fall-out" during their time at Arsenal.
The Argentine, who helped his country win the World Cup last year, is under contract until 2027, but it appears as if a move away could be on the cards over the coming months.
Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared an update he’s heard out of Villa Park regarding Martinez on Tuesday morning. He stated that the goalkeeper is looking to fulfil his ambitions of playing at a higher level and wants to leave the club this summer.
Chelsea and Manchester United have been named as possible destinations, however, the report adds that it is likely to take a huge bid to persuade Villa to sell the goalkeeper over the coming months.
Villa hold the cards…
As mentioned, Martinez still has a number of years left to run on his deal after penning an extension last year, so Villa are under no pressure to sell at a cut-price fee despite the player’s stance. His Transfermarkt valuation currently stands at a healthy €28m, a figure which rose slightly from €25m late last year.
Martinez showed his quality on the biggest stage in Qatar by helping Argentina to two penalty shootouts at the World Cup, one of which came in the final against France. As a result, he has been branded as "the best penalty-kick keeper in the world" by teammate John McGinn, who went on to call him a "unique character" when speaking on Sky Sports Premier League (7:25 pm, January 13, 2023).
Therefore, you could argue that Villa are right to demand a huge fee for his services over the summer, and if they do decide to part ways, a replacement would be needed. One player who has been linked with a move to the Midlands in recent months is Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili, so he could be a name to monitor if Martinez gets his wish.