Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Arsenal’s FA Cup and Community Shield hero Emiliano Martinez has ‘completed’ a move to join Aston Villa.
The Gunners manager Mikel Arteta was believed to be keen on keeping both of his first-team goalkeepers, in order to bring competition to every area of the side, but despite being picked over Bernd Leno for the Shield win over Liverpool two weeks ago, Martinez has decided to leave the club.
Fabrizio Romano has become the inside track on all comings and goings recently, and he has broken the story to his followers, and despite no official confirmation, there is little doubt over his credibility.
Aston Villa have completed the signing of Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal – contract signed until June 2024. Talks on with Werder for Milot Rashica.
And Arsenal keep working to sell players [Torreira too] and then will try again for a top midfielder [Aouar or Thomas] 🛑 #AFC #AVFC— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 13, 2020
The Argentine shotstopper made it clear that he wanted guarantees over his playing time as he targets earning a call-up to his international side this term, something which doesn’t appear to have happened.
Martinez will now join the Midland club and will have to fend off Tom Heaton for the number one jersey, although he is injured at present.
Romano also adds that Aston Villa are in talks over a deal to Milot Rashica from Werder Bremen, whilst Arsenal are working hard to raise funds in their bid to sign one of Houssem Aouar or Thomas Partey.
The journalist names Lucas Torreira as one of those who we are trying to move on, while we will also likely add another keeper to our ranks following the departure of Emi.
David Raya looks likely to be just that man, with the Brentford keeper having been excluded from the first team squad recently, and with the Telegraph’s SamJDean claiming he has told the club of his intention to join Arsenal.
Arsenal are still struggling to make any progress in the pursuit of David Raya. Brentford are currently not even willing to negotiate — they are very insistent that he’s simply not for sale. Raya is open to #AFC move and I understand he has told Brentford how he feels.
— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) September 7, 2020
Will Arsenal regret allowing Martinez to leave?
Patrick
“And Arsenal keep working to sell players [Torreira too] and then will try again for a top midfielder [Aouar *and Thomas] ”
There, corrected.
Brentford ain’t interested, Iceland’s goalkeeper is who we’re currently negotiating for
He’s not the first we’ve been disappointed at letting go and he certainly won’t be the last!
AFC goes on….
👍
Surely, some fans won’t be happy. But there are others who have accepted the reality of things and already moved on.
If Arsenal can land Aouar and Partey while moving out the redundant players, that would be a very successful transfer window for me (despite the loss of Emi).
👍
Again 10 years as a number 2 or 3 and the fans are disappointed because he had a good 6months ,hopefully with these funds they will be put straight into the transfer pot for strengthening actual positions we need (hopefully midfield ).
We do t need 2 quality keepers no team does ,we have macey who again is a good backup if anything does happen to Leno .
every top team needs a two top keepers … yep they do !! but one has to be in his twilight years,, Happy to get played in the carabo cup and the FA cup !! and be as cover !! but not one that is young and wanting week in week out football !! we need a Cech right now !!
The main issue I see Dan, is that Leno is now secure in his comfort zone with minimal competition. According to an interview with Matt Macey in the Telegraph, he is keen to leave as well. Arsenal has supposedly bought Runar Alex Runarsson, an Icelandic goal keeper playing for Dijon FCO, 25 yo and 1.85m tall, cost about €1.2 million.
Bloody hell, Ozzie, Macey is 26!! You can’t blame him for wanting out… his career will be over before it’s begun at this rate! He wants regular football – just like Emi!
we can now move in for Aouar and if time and money is on our side partey
Wrong order of priorities in my opinion, although Partey is €50 million up front to Atletico Madrid, whereas Lyon may accept instalments for the more expensive €60 million Aouar.
BTW am new but being following the site for a long time now
👍👍
🙂
I am glad we’re getting the needed funds for a top midfielder. I like Martinez but you can’t make such demands at a top top club.
Cheers!
We won’t get a replacement. I don’t think we should anyway. The second goalkeepers minutes are always really limited. Just play macey in the EFL cup and beginning rounds of FA cup then use Leno. The funds are needed elsewhere
It will be good to see Macey in action regularly. Maybe he’ll be another Martinez????
Pat, Macey wants out too.
Emi’s departure and now this:
Arsenal will now look to complete the sale of Lucas Torreira before opening talks over a move for Thomas Partey. Sufficient funds raised to pay his release clause. Convincing the player to drop out of the Champions League will be key. #AFC
Of course we’ll regret letting Emi go. But by letting him go, we show other players that the club will treat players fairly and not stand in their way, and that might benefit us in the long run by attracting players.
If we can get through this season with a Raya or a Runar Alex, we may train them up into a new star, or have time to find someone right (even in our own youth ranks). There’s so much optimism around the club right now that I hate to emphasize the (very real) potential negative.
Now adding Thomas or Aouar would make this a brilliant window. Adding both would be even better, despite the selection problems it would bring. Thomas has steel, indefatigable energy, and penetrating long passes. Aouar has determination, silken brilliance and a knack for finding space; looking at Aouar highlights I see little hints of de Bruyne.
Torreira seems like a Simeone player to me. Has there been any interest there?
To treat Martinez fairly, Leno would have to win his place back; however it is what it is. Maybe Macey has seen what happened to Martinez and that’s why he wants to leave too.
Are you saying letting him go after he has said he will if he doesn’t guarantee number spot and told the club to accept 10m for from Villa according to info provided by Eddie is not fair to him. What is the club supposed to do then.
Just Hope Arsenal do not rue the day they decided to sell “The Catcher” and keep “The Flapper”
ok you say catcher as in leno not catching from Corners and Crosses but a flapper he is not !! Its easy to choose a player on the back of 9 good games in a team that are playing out of their skins !! 9 good games means nothing !! Leno played well in all the games and had some really hard games when the team were struggling but he managed to keep us in those games !! Leno is head and shoulders above Martinez distribution wise and shot stopping !! and in controlling his area !! he might fist a lot a way but this is a continental thing !! look at buffon probably the best keeper to grace the world of football !! he always fisted away !! never caught the ball !! Neuer punches eevrything away but he is a brilliant keeper !! and is it not that Leno is now being looked at to replace Neuer ?? i think you might find he is !! I think you need to stop picking a player because he has 9 good games in a team that is playing out of its skin !! its alot easier to play in a team playing well than in a team playing poorly !! wait and see Martinez at Villa to see what i mean by what i just said !!
its called swings and roundabouts !! martinez was never going to replace Leno and that is fact and life !! Martinez had 9 good games when the team were playing out of their skins !! always easier when a team in playing well to look good in any position !! Leno has proven even when the chips were down and the team were struggling, how good a keeper he was and is !! and in many games during this period it was him and him alone that keep us in games !! yes there are areas he could improve on like catching from Corners and crosses instead of the fist away. But he will get better at that !! but his shot stopping is second to none and he controls his area well !! and his distribution is brilliant out of the hand aswell as from the ground !! I wish Martinez all the best but at Arsenal you simply cannot and should not be able to order a starting position in the starting 11 !!!
I’m in no way discrediting Leno, but Martinez didn’t put a foot wrong. In fact he might have been a factor in the defence having faith after what was a horrible injury to Leno.
Brentford dont have a leg to stand on regards to raya !! he wants to leave and he wants to better himself at a better club !! Will be interesting when the legal team get involved !! blocking a player to go to a top flight team can and will always end in tears for Brentford !!
Not happening, Raya is under contract and Brentford has ambition for promotion.
Ray’s has said yesterday that his client wants to move to Arsenal and is ready to put in a transfer request to make it happen,also I don’t Villa are after the other player they’ve just agreed a deal with Lyon for Traoré for around 16M.
*Raya’s agent
When Arteta joined Arsenal, he gave everyone a free slate, to show their talent and skills… Before he came Martinez was in charge of europa and Leno EPL, as Arteta joined Leno took over both Europa ( our last match against olympiakos) and EPL, even with the mistake he made in Europa, he was still in charge of EPL until he got injured and Arteta didn’t have choice but to bring in Martinez ( I think that should mean something to you guys), Arsenal played some games and won some crucial match while Martinez was in post( in a short period of time when compare to Leno period).Martinez also won us trophies( arsenal can win that even if its Leno or any other keeper because of our determination and some luck). Then Martinez came out and said he didn’t want to be a second keeper again and that he want to be first choice or else he will leave( he believes he has arrived and that with that performance within the short period, he is now world class keeper). Then Arteta also voiced out and said he wants competition among the two keepers so that it will be interesting and favourable for Arsenal but Martinez thinks other wise and decided to leave, Arsenal respected his decision and his choice because of the years he has spent with us so case closed…. Bye bye Martinez and we will meet again in the league and we will show you that you are average keeper by thrashing you 3-0 both home and away….. I love you as a person and Arsenal player so if you leave no problem best of luck in your new career as a keeper in Aston Villa…
Surely when Leno gets injured or suspended the loss of Emi would be truly felt. Regrettably, I am not happy he was sold; how I wish the club had done more to keep him.
Because it’s obvious Marcy isn’t trusted, or why else would the club be looking out to sign in another goal keeper.
Hey, Martinez wasn’t trusted until he got his chance. Why can’t Macey be even better?
Call a spade a spade.
The reason arsenal fans are not worried about the sale of Emil Martinez is cus, the know they know the money will be used to sign key targets like Partey
I appreciate your faith.