Emiliano Martinez has looked back at finally getting a sustained run in the Arsenal first-team 10 years after he joined the Gunners as a 17-year-old.
The Argentinean got his chance to play for the club during the last Premier League restart after Bernd Leno got injured in the first few games back.
The German’s injury lasted for the rest of the season and Martinez ensured that Arsenal didn’t miss him.
The Argentinean emerged as one of the Gunners’ best players towards the end of the season and he helped them win the FA Cup, starring in wins against Manchester City and Chelsea.
He is expecting to be given the chance to stake a claim for himself as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper in the coming season even though Leno has the trust of the manager.
He was speaking about his breakthrough at the Emirates recently and he claimed that the injury to Leno was a turning point in his career.
The 27-year-old told AS as quoted by the Sun: “This has been the best year of my career, but it is not easy to fulfil your dreams.
“I arrived at Arsenal in 2010, and had five spells out on loan – plus another one with Oxford where I played just once.
“It honestly wasn’t easy for me. I found it hard, and suffered more than I should.
“The last loan spell, at Reading, was the one I enjoyed most. The manager, Jose Gomes, put a lot of faith in me and helped me develop.
“But now I can say that all the effort has been worthwhile.”
Continuing with the AS interview, he added: “The fact I have returned to Arsenal so many times is because they continued to believe I could become their No.1 goalkeeper.
“Had they told me: ‘Look, you’ve no future here,’ I’d have gone to another club.
“But now I have achieved what I wanted – and I want to continue being successful with Arsenal.
“Bernd Leno’s injury has changed my career. Other great goalkeepers – such as Iker Casillas – have got their big opportunities when the first-choice keeper was injured.
“You have to be prepared for when you are called on.
“I hope to continue with Arsenal in the new season. That is my idea – although obviously I want to be in the first team.
“My dream is to play as many Premier League games as possible – and also to play for Argentina.”
Well bad news, since he cannot be guaranteed the number 1 position, he’s refusing to sign the new contract Arsenal are offering him.
In return he’s now on the transfer list for Arsenal.
He’s refusing to sign a new contract if he’s not guaranteed first team, meanwhile Arteta has stated he wants them both to fight for it and make each other better.
Nobody’s guaranteed the spot.
I guess now is the best time to sell him, 2 years left, his form and he really wants to be a starter.
I understand his hunger to be a guaranteed starter but I don’t understand why he wants the spot allocated to him, and I know he needs to play and he wants to leave.
It hurts but he can leave.
Raul already set his price at 20million.
While I think that price is low, Martinez has told the board to please let him leave if half the price is the offer we get because of his years of loyalty.
The whole situation is a debacle, we can raise good money by selling him, and we need good money, but do we keep him here if no club wants to pay 20 and above?
If we want to sell him, this is the best time. Next season we won’t have much say because he’ll have only a year left.
His possible destination is Spain, but personally I think the club should offer him to PSG, Navas is old, but then it’ll be had to convince any top club to pay 25 million for him with only 15 EPL games to his belt
Also… We are looking at Brentford’s David Raya as Martinez’s replacement.
Arsenal are finding it hard to offload a lot of oir deadwood.
Though we have clubs interested in them, mostly they’re loan offers with option to buy, meanwhile Arsenal need the money now.
All I know is, by starting of 2021/2022 season, few selected players from Wenger/Emery tenure will remain.. My bet will be on PEA, Leno,Saka, Tierney and other academy players.
These senior players won’t be here.
I’m relieved because of that, it’ll take time to move them on, so I’ll be patient enough to see them all shipped out and new players brought in
Eddie, I just want to know how do you get all this information, do you have an inside source.
I’m a subscriber on the Athletic… Also, this Martinez isn’t inside info.
It’s been making the rounds all evening with fans debating between him and Leno.
He was trending all evening on Twitter because he’s been transfer listed.
Also apart from being a close user and follower of TheAthletic,
I follow a few unpopular journalist who who do have links to the club and used to work and report from the stadium on match days.
So I tend to filter out a lot of bûllshît when I read news, I get more confident whenever it’s on the Athletic, though not everything comes from the Athletic.
Personally I don’t have any insider at the club
Lol… Me too.
Martinez has been fenomenal. How much would we have had to pay to buy him now? I would say we would have had to pay 25 – 30 M for him. So I see that as his value.
Would be truly annoying if we let him go for below 20 M.
Selling Martinez would be like selling the crown jewels to fund the fact we cant shift the deadwood. We aren’t going to get very far with this gambling. To be a top team you need top performers, Martinez has proved to be a top performer. Keeping two very strong keepers is just the start, it goes for the rest of the team, strong competition grows strong performance. We haven’t got to sell Emi, he has two years i believe on his contract. Let him prove how good he is for our benefit, not others.
He can take premier league, Leno take all others. He does not expect to start in all competitions unless he smokes something.
For me, he is better than Leno and would only get better. Its a shame, we reached this situation. He earned first spot for me.