It must be a weird feeling to be a backup goalkeeper because the only way you’re getting on the pitch is either in a meaningless cup game or if disaster strikes.
The second happened at Arsenal last season when Bernd Leno went down with a season ending injury, while it’s fair to say that little was expected of Emiliano Martinez.
That wasn’t because he hadn’t shown he was good enough, it was because he had barely played and nobody knew how good he was.
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It turns out he’s a fantastic keeper and he played a huge part in Arsenal’s FA Cup win, but you can’t blame him if he’s not willing to go back to being the number 2 again.
Leno is a fantastic keeper and he’s one of the few Arsenal players who is guaranteed to start when he’s fit, so it looks like Martinez could be on his way out of the club:
He turns 28 next month so it really is time for him to finally establish himself as the first choice keeper somewhere, while the report also suggests that he wants to leave to further his chances of becoming the Argentine number 1.
It looks like Leno is now fit enough to return so this could happen soon, although it will mean that Arteta will need to bring someone else in.
Arsenal’s website lists Matt Macey as the next in line but he’s never played at a level higher than League One, so it would be a massive call for Arteta to place his trust in him.