Aston Villa WILL listen to offers for Emiliano Martinez this summer to help fund summer rebuild

Aston Villa would consider offers for Emiliano Martinez this summer, although they are willing to exact a high price for their World Cup winner.

Martinez has made clear his ambition to win the Champions League and while Villa is under no financial pressure to sell, Sportsmail understands they are not closed to the idea of ​​doing so.

The 30-year-old was named goalkeeper of the tournament thanks to his spectacular performances last winter in Qatar, where he helped Argentina lift the trophy for the third time in their history.

However, both Martínez and his representatives have made it clear that he would like to play in Europe’s top club competition. While Martinez added that he would like to do it with Villa, there is little chance of that this season, and Villa have not finished in the top 10 of the Premier League since 2011.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham may all be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer. David De Gea is likely to have to take a pay cut to stay at Old Trafford, while neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Edouard Mendy have established themselves at Chelsea, and Hugo Lloris’ powers appear to be waning.

Aston Villa will listen to offers for goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez at the end of this season

Unai Emery is believed to be interested in an Ederson-style goalkeeper from Manchester City.

Villa coach Unai Emery’s ideal is to have a ‘sweeper-keeper’ in the style of Manchester City star Ederson. Although Martínez is constant in this aspect of the game, his strengths are his way of stopping shots, his presence and his command of the penalty area.

The stance on Martinez has nothing to do with his shaky performance against Arsenal last Saturday, but rather is based on an assessment of Villa’s long-term goals.

Since spending around £150m after promotion in 2019, Villa’s net transfer spending has been relatively modest. Emery will be backed to reshuffle the team this summer and this is likely to be balanced by player sales.

Martinez was bought for an initial £16m three years ago and is one of the players in Villa’s squad guaranteed to generate a healthy profit.

He was criticized for getting ahead of a corner that saw Gabriel Martinelli finish off an empty goal.

The most expensive goalkeeper in history is Arrizabalaga, who joined Chelsea in 2018 when the Blues paid Athletic Bilbao their £71m release clause. Alisson moved to Liverpool the same year for £65 million.

Whether clubs interested in Martinez would be prepared to hit those numbers remains to be seen, with Villa in a strong position after agreeing a five-year contract with Martinez last year worth around £100,000 a week, which made him the club’s top salaryman.

If he moves though, he would surely become one of the three most expensive goalkeepers in the world, with Ederson, who cost City £35m in 2017, currently third on the list.

Martínez was left on the bench for Villa’s 2-0 win at Tottenham, his first since returning from the World Cup, but he has been a fixture under Emery ever since, although the Spaniard called Martínez out for running into the box. Arsenal penalty for a corner last. on Saturday as Villa searched for an equalizer in stoppage time.

The set piece fell short of him and when Arsenal broke Martinez was left stranded, allowing Gabriel Martinelli to seal the 4–2 victory.

Emery said: ‘I’m embarrassed by the last goal. I have never told my guardian to move on. He is not the spirit. We have to keep our mind clear and be smart. He now he knows he shouldn’t do it.

Ederson is the Premier League’s leading goalkeeper and regularly takes part in the warm-up game outside his box.