Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, is at the center of a burgeoning transfer saga, with Turkish giants Galatasaray reportedly making an official bid for the highly-rated stopper, sources have told Turkish-Football.
Villa is understood to be in a position where at least one key player must be sold this summer to comply with financial regulations. Martinez, along with winger Leon Bailey, appears to be among the most likely candidates for a move which would ease the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) pressures.
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Galatasaray have made an offer for Martinez who will replace veterans Fernando Muslera if he does make the move to Istanbul.
Martinez would be first choice keeper at the Lions who will compete in the Champions League next season.
The Turkish club’s financial muscle appears to be a significant factor. Having recently secured Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich on a reported £140,000 per week (£7.7 million annually), plus a £2.5 million loyalty bonus.
The Lions have made several marquee signings over the past few seasons including Victor Osimhen last summer on loan from Napoli and Sane from Bayern Munich this summer.
Martinez’s potential departure marks a pivotal moment for Aston Villa. Signed from Arsenal in 2020 for £17 million, he has proven to be an invaluable asset, making 212 appearances for the club across all competitions. During his time at Villa Park, he has kept 70 clean sheets and conceded 256 goals. A two-time Yashin Trophy winner, Martinez has also earned 52 caps for Argentina.
The urgency for Villa to sell a high-value player has been exacerbated by their failure to qualify for the Champions League. A final-day defeat to Manchester United, marred by VAR controversy surrounding a disallowed Morgan Rogers goal, prevented Villa from securing a top-five finish, a result estimated to have cost the club up to £100 million in potential revenue. While a sale would likely have been necessary even with Champions League qualification, the current situation places significantly more pressure on the club ahead of next year’s financial assessments.
