Arsenal faces a tough job in keeping hold of Emiliano Martinez beyond this summer if they cannot guarantee that he will be the club’s number one.
After ten years at the club, the Argentinean eventually got his break in the first team this year after Bernd Leno had to miss the end of the season through injury.
He was one of the club’s most outstanding performers in those games and he played a starring role as the Gunners won their 14th FA Cup trophy.
There have been fears that after tasting what it feels like to play regularly for the Gunners, the Argentinean will not want to become the second choice again and he has confirmed that.
A few days ago, he told a news outlet that there are around 10 teams looking to sign him and they are prepared to make him their first-choice goalkeeper.
He has spoken out on his future again and he is still insisting that if he doesn’t get the chance to play regularly, he will leave.
“The first loans were always with the option of returning to the club. When I came back from the last loan to Reading, I said that I didn’t want to leave anymore, that now was my time,” Martínez told Argentinean publication Clarín as quoted by the Mirror.
“I wanted to be given the chance or if not, yes, leave.
“I didn’t want to know anything more if they didn’t give me the opportunity. Unai Emery gave me the chance to go toe-to-toe with Leno this season and it ended as it ended.”
“My goal is to play as much as possible at Arsenal and that’s why when I return I will speak with the coach to decide my future,” Martinez continued.
“Leno was already recovered for the final and I played the same.
“We’ll see. I don’t want to go back to the bench and go months and months without playing. I’ll decide the best option for my career.”
When pressed on whether that meant he’d leave if he didn’t play, he added: “Definitely, yes.”
Alright that’s it, I’m sick and tired of reading him saying these stuff every time. He’s had like what? A fantastic half season and he keeps threatening to leave. He’s free to, sell him off if he’s not interested in competition. We need the money.
I ain’t gon let sentiments or emotions cloud my judgement.
This is another era under Arteta, we don’t want players causing uncertainties, making threats and all that. Anyone who’s not ready to fight for his place can fvck off the team!
That includes every player, There’s no guarantee starter in this club anymore, everyone gets the chance to fight. Arteta is making sure of that, plus he’ll get more chances next season. He’s not really expecting Leno just get thrown under the bench, forgotten is he?
He should do this for a full season, show consistency before he can start making threats.
The moment Leno starts making threats too, sell him to the highest bidder.
It’s okay to want to play, I love that, we all know Martinez deserves more chance to play, that’s the spirit we want, not this constant Bûllshït of speaking to the media threatening to leave every five days.
You can call me harsh for this, but I’m done being okay with players trying to cause stir ups and drawing media dramas.
I agree. He has the right to have the will to play and secure future and he seems like an innocent honest guy, but he should be careful in what he says. It is a big club, he will have the toe-to-toe competition, he earned it but no one can gurantee him something.
I totally agree with you
You have my support. I felt same way while reading the article. Competition is necessary in every sphere of life for better performance. Threat is what i dislike. No one is indispensable.
He can leave if he cannot fight for his place. It cannot be offered to him on a platter of gold while we have equally good keeper.
I believe he has every right to say this. He has been outstanding in place of Leno and no, he’s not asking for the number 1 shirt like most of you think, he’s asking for a fair chance to start and to play too. He’s trying to avoid what happened to him in the game vs olympiacos where he had been our goal keeper up till Arteta told him to sit the olympiacos game out and we lost with Leno proving a wrong decision by Arteta to bench martinez. He knows his worth, some of these press just rehash his words. I believe he’s an humble guy, he doesn’t know how to snub journalists who keep asking him the same questions over and over again. If he wasn’t humble, he wouldn’t even answer them because he has spoken once and everyone has heard. It’s just the media’s way of trying to find content for their papers. And I think you lot above are misunderstanding him. It’s not being boastful, it’s rather being confident in himself and what he can bring to the table. I’m certain if he was playing in other competitions and he was trusted to see the job through unlike what Arteta did to him against olympiacos, he wouldn’t have any reason to complain. All he wants is a fair chance. I don’t think that’s too much to ask from a player who I think in the games he’s played has shown better qualities than Leno, which is not to take anything from how great Leno is.
Dude nobody says he doesn’t deserve a fair chance, nobody said Leno should walk back in. All we are saying is there must be competition. He will get his chance, Leno will get his chance. They both need to fight for it just like every other player does.
He said it himself, Leno was fit for the final but he kept his place.
Is he being forced to keep threatening to leave? Or what are you on about?
There’s a difference in saying you want to keep playing and saying you will leave if you don’t play. He’s not a kid anymore, he should stop talking Like one and making threats.
Ozziegunner already said it all below.
Just stay away from the media and social media, just fvckn shut up and play
When the journalist then force words into his mouth then, what do you expect him to do? Lie? If he doesn’t get regular playing time, he will leave. It’s as simple as that. They both have to fight for the number one spot and whoever is not playing in the PL should be content with playing other competitions. May the best man win
I do agree with you we don’t want anyone to rock the ship now. Any player who do not to stay should go no problems.
Same thought here.
He should also be thankful to AFC for looking after him for 10 years, he’s just in the process of giving back all what it has done for him for so long.
Soon as he starts a patch of good delivery doesnt mean he has the right to keep on babbling like he’s doing.
Martinez is currently the incumbent Arsenal goalkeeper. Possession is nine tenths of the law. It is up to Leno to win the spot back and Martinez has to knuckle down, concentrate on bringing his A game to every match and let the quality of his goal keeping talk for him.
One of the big issues with Arsenal over many seasons now, has been the number of players spending too much time and effort on social media and not enough on the football field. Too many grievences are aired outside the Club; just shut up and play.
This guy just played how many games 10? And he thinks he’s Alison? Leno played better than him before he got injured, I think we should sell him and generate some cool cash.
I prefer Leno ahead of him,if he wants to leave so be it we don’t lack shot stopper am sure there are young keepers waiting to grab there chance
there is really competion in arsenal and l like it
Mikel should decide his future but me l want him to be first choice goalkeeper for the gunners next season
I have to say it again.. cash in on one of the two goalies.. we don’t need them two.. we need to raise money and Leno or Martinez can pull in huge numbers considering how much sweeper keepers go for in the market and they are both extremely good at it.. I reckon we’ll make 50-60m for any of them considering the price of lesser capable goalies like De Gea and Kepa.. it doesn’t irk me that he is talking to the media it irks me that we don’t take our opportunity to cash in on big numbers when they present themselves.. Liverpool sold coutinho didn’t they? We can’t keep everyone we need cash and we can do Liverpool still buy a cheap retiring good hand like Adrian to support either Leno or Martinez .. case closed.
Okay Martinez’s starting to piss me off. We are a ******* team, you got your chance and did what was expected of you (everyone appreciates you btw). However he should stop running his mouth and talk to his boss in confidence ’cause MA just like Pep wont take his sustained threats lightly. There’s a wenger type of coach (fatherly) and there’s the Pep, Jose, type (ruthless). MA draws inspiration from the latter.
Its important for a team to have depth and competition among all the players.For him to threaten quitting when hes the one commanding the number one sport is rather silly and not confident enough on his part.Both of them should play on their merits and we can not expect him to play all games due to various other factors that include but not limited to form,illness,burnout and rotation by the coach.To threaten quitting is akin to asking the coach to shut out Leno for your own good.Sounds to me to be a bit selfish.Stay in there and fight for the position.As fans we are actually proud to have two brilliant keepers…