Aston Villa must now resolve Emi Martinez’s future after his potential transfer to Juventus fell through on Sunday, just as the club completed the signing of Zion Suzuki.
Martinez was on the verge of joining Juventus before the Italian side decided against the move and chose Guglielmo Vicario instead, having been unwilling to meet Villa’s asking price.
This leaves Martinez in an uncertain situation with only two weeks remaining in the transfer window, as Suzuki is expected to arrive as Villa’s new long-term first-choice goalkeeper.
On the Claret & Blue podcast, John Townley spoke about the situation.
The transfer to Juventus is off for the second time, with this latest attempt being much closer than the previous approach during the summer. Villa have made their position clear regarding the fee they would accept for Martinez, and they were not prepared to lower their demands for the Italian club. It was not a case of being willing to let him leave for any price, as if that were the case he would already have moved on. However, any other club now looking to sign Martinez must consider that he has sustained a minor injury. The specific details are unclear, but the injury was mentioned during the podcast after the team returned, specifically in the outro segment. Villa understood that Martinez’s finger problem would not prevent a deal, but Juventus appeared to view it differently, which may explain why their offer was lower. They were not prepared to reach Villa’s valuation. With only two weeks left in the window, having both Martinez and Suzuki at the club is not viable. Suzuki is determined to become the world’s best goalkeeper and would certainly benefit from learning alongside Martinez, but that is not the reason he was brought in, and the club cannot afford to maintain two substantial wages, particularly Martinez’s, after also signing Suzuki. There are FIFA regulations that can assist with wage costs for incoming players, though it remains unclear whether Villa could utilise this, particularly since Martinez sustained the finger injury while playing for Villa against Freiburg, which may affect his eligibility. He needs to leave now, and this presents difficulties because unlike forwards or wingers, Martinez is among the top goalkeepers in Europe, meaning clubs would need a specific need for a shot-stopper to pursue him. Martinez would prefer to move outside the Premier League, though that is merely a preference. He came close to joining Manchester United last summer, though that was essentially because he had no alternative options at the time.
Regarding Suzuki and the number one position, the reasons for the collapse of his move to PSG involved various factors. There has been speculation that PSG wanted more money and therefore withdrew, but PSG certainly have the resources to afford such fees. From what I understand, the issue extends beyond finances to sporting considerations. If Suzuki is to be Villa’s first-choice goalkeeper, and he has wanted to join Villa throughout the summer while aware of the Martinez situation, then Villa needed to act. They identified Suzuki as their primary target and are very enthusiastic about him, while PSG are understood to be frustrated by the outcome. Villa had arranged transport to take Suzuki from Parma for his medical examination. The club has completed the signing, which should be officially announced shortly.
As for Martinez, the list of potential suitors is likely to be limited. Galatasaray showed interest last summer, though it remains unclear whether Martinez declined the move or whether Villa rejected their proposals due to the financial package on offer. Saudi Arabia and Turkey represent possible destinations. This is genuinely awkward, and I find it uncomfortable because Martinez has been excellent for us and deserves great credit. He departs as a club legend, but now the situation may require us to push him towards the exit. I would prefer to avoid a scenario where in the closing days of the window we are desperately seeking a club for him while Martinez is reluctant to accept certain options. When Juventus first approached earlier in the window, I recall writing that the club should simply allow him to leave rather than risk problems later. Unfortunately, those problems have now materialised. While I understand Villa’s reasoning for not accepting Juventus’s offer, there has not been strong demand for Martinez. It remains a buyer’s market, and Villa were not in a position to demand premium fees, nor are they now. The valuation Villa have set exceeds what Juventus were prepared to pay, which is why the deal collapsed.