Emi Martinez could quit Aston Villa for Tottenham despite decade-long spell at Arsenal – BBC pundit
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…
Emi Martinez might want to quit Aston Villa for Tottenham in the summer – even if it annoys Arsenal fans, according to Alan Hutton.
On 3 March, 90min reported that Spurs are looking at World Cup-winner Martinez, 30, as a potential replacement for Hugo Lloris in the summer transfer window.
It is understood that with Lloris being 36 years old and suffering from declining form, Spurs have drawn up a shortlist of possible successors for their number one shirt and Martinez is among them.
However, Aston Villa signed Martinez from Spurs’ bitter North London rivals Arsenal in 2020 after he spent 10 years on the books at the Emirates.
Martinez only played 38 times in all competitions in that time at the Gunners but it could still be hard for him to move to the white side of North London if a move presents itself in the summer, according to Hutton.
Speaking to Villa News about the Tottenham speculation, former Spurs and Villa right-back Hutton said: “That’s a difficult one, isn’t it?
“Obviously, the teams are so close with where they’re at and in London, the fanbase is so close together.
“It might be difficult but the only thing for him is that he left Arsenal and has had a team in between but he could get a lot of stick from Arsenal supporters. Would he want to go against that?
“That being said, it’s not like he played for them regularly for years and years, he was kind of in the background for a long time.
“It might be something that he would fancy but the figure has to be right.
“At the end of the day, he’s an Aston Villa player – he’s a main player.
“They would have to get a lot of money in for him to be allowed to leave.”
In other Aston Villa news, a football finance expert has reacted to Villa’s payment to former owner Randy Lerner.