According to the Independent, Aston Villa are preparing a £10m bid for Arsenal ace Emiliano Martinez, with the Gunners willing to part with the Argentine this summer.
Martinez impressed when being thrust into the No.1 spot following an injury to star Bernd Leno at the start of the restart in June.
27-year-old Martinez proved in that run-in to the end of the season that he’s got the quality to be a solid Premier League keeper, one that could be a game-changer for sides in the lower half particularly.
The Independent claim that Villa are lining up a £10m bid for the ace, with it suggested that the north London outfit may actually value the stopper at double that.
Martinez has reiterated on several occasions in different interviews this summer that he will decide to leave the Gunners if it’s not possible to battle for the No.1 spot with Leno.
Dean Smith’s boyhood club Villa certainly need to bolster between the sticks as the solid Tom Heaton is still recovering from a knee injury and loanee Pepe Reina wasn’t kept on.
Last season was actually Martinez’s first as the club’s backup after six loan spells away from the club that he left his homeland of Argentina to join at the age of 17.
Martinez made a total of 23 appearances across all competitions, the ace’s solid performances have earned him a call-up to Argentina’s senior squad twice, with a debut cap hopefully on the horizon.
Martinez has been with the north London outfit for a decade now, he’s got every right to seek a move that would be best for his own career after acting as a model professional during his time with the club.