Manchester United have reportedly been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
According to Football Insider, Premier League giants Manchester United have been handed an obstacle in their efforts to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, with the Villans uninterested in selling the former Arsenal goalkeeper.
The Argentine international has enjoyed a new lease of life since leaving Arsenal for Aston Villa. Martinez is today a regular for both Aston Villa and Argentina and has proven his worth on more than one occasion.
This has seen him attract attention from Manchester United. David de Gea has held the fort for more than a decade but has shown signs of regression in recent seasons. More so, he has also struggled to adapt to Erik ten Hag’s philosophy and has made some errors while trying to play out from the back.
One of Manchester United’s top earners, de Gea’s future at the club remains unclear. He is set to hold crunch talks with ten Hag regarding a contract extension, and it remains to be seen if the Spaniard will commit his future to Manchester United.
But any hopes Manchester United had of bringing in Martinez to Old Trafford in the January transfer window has hit a dead end. Aston Villa, for their part, are not keen to entertain any offers for their shot-stopper and will actively block any interest from Manchester United.
Steven Gerrard considers Martinez to be untouchable, with the Argentine goalkeeper one of the first names on the team sheet at Villa Park. Martinez penned a contract extension last January and is valued at an impressive £45 million.
Erik ten Hag permitted Dean Henderson to leave on a loan deal while bringing in Martin Dubravka on loan from Newcastle United. Neither player is an upgrade on de Gea, and it is debatable if they will be entrusted with taking the Spaniard’s spot anytime soon.
Manchester United are currently in the market for a goalkeeper and are also keeping tabs on Jordan Pickford. It would appear that the Red Devils are looking domestically for a player who can finally don the role of a reliable last line of defence. With Aston Villa holding firm on Martinez, it remains to be seen if Manchester United will continue to push for an agreement or shift their focus elsewhere.
