The battle for Aston Villa’s star goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is heating up, with Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly locking horns in a high-stakes transfer tussle. The Argentine shot-stopper, a standout performer for Villa over the past five years, has caught the attention of these Premier League giants, sparking rumours of a potential summer move.
Manchester United’s season has been nothing short of a nightmare, with Ruben Amorim’s men languishing in 16th place heading into their final fixture. The Red Devils’ struggles were compounded by a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Friday night, marking a campaign where they’ve managed just ten wins and scored fewer goals than all but four teams in the league.
Despite mounting pressure on Amorim to deliver results, reports suggest the club will stand by him, even if they suffer defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham. However, one area crying out for improvement is the goalkeeping department. Andre Onana, United’s current custodian, has faced relentless criticism this season, with whispers that Amorim is ready to part ways with the Cameroonian and seek a new No. 1.
Enter Emiliano Martinez. The Argentina international, fresh off a stellar performance in Villa’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham, was seen overcome with emotion alongside teammate Leon Bailey, fuelling speculation that both players might be eyeing exits. Villa boss Unai Emery’s cryptic comments did little to quash the rumours: “Of course, it is the last match here, and I don’t know. We will see about the team, the players.”
The saga took another twist as Diario AS journalist Eduardo Burgos revealed that Martinez is also on the radar of Chelsea, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. “Dibu’ Martínez has a chance of leaving Aston Villa this summer,” Burgos tweeted. “Several clubs have approached him, including Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, and Atlético de Madrid. Note: There are no official offers yet.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s transfer ambitions don’t end with Martinez. The club has been linked with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray. However, reports suggest United have pulled out of the race due to the Nigerian’s staggering wage demands of €475,000 per week. Galatasaray vice president Abdullah Kavukcu has since confirmed the Turkish side’s readiness to break the bank to secure Osimhen permanently, offering to match his salary expectations and pay a €75 million transfer fee.
As the summer transfer window looms, the drama surrounding Martinez and Osimhen promises to keep football fans on the edge of their seats. Who will land these coveted stars? Only time will tell.
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