{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Dan Bardell details whether Emiliano Martinez could leave Aston Villa after development this week
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Emiliano Martinez will feel he can fulfil his ambitions by staying at Aston Villa despite being named the world’s best goalkeeper in 2023, according to Dan Bardell.
The Argentina international was awarded the Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards in Paris, France, on Monday (30 October) after helping his country win the World Cup in 2022 [Premier League].
The 31-year-old claimed the Golden Glove award at the tournament before going on to help Villa qualify for the Europa Conference League last season.
Bardell isn’t worried the keeper’s latest accolade will lead to him pushing for a move away from Villa Park, though, after he has already achieved a “hell of a lot” while playing for the club.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “I thought Villa would struggle to hold onto Emi Martinez. I think when Emery first came in, he didn’t adapt very quickly to what Emery wanted. I remember Emery criticising him after the Arsenal defeat for going long and the team for going long.
“But since then, Martinez has done exactly what Emery wants his goalkeeper to do and it’s just a perfect match. I think Martinez can see that Villa are going places under this manager. He was already tied down to a long-term contract anyway before Emery came in, so Villa have got no worries in that regard.
“I just think he can see that the club are progressing and it was Villa really that gave him his big chance and made him a number one in the Premier League. It’s almost like he feels like he owes Villa something because it’s all transpired over the last few years.
“Everything that he would’ve wanted to happen has happened. He’s gone to a Premier League team, become number one and that team’s improved and is now probably a top-seven team. He’s become number one for his country, won the Copa America and the World Cup, which is absolutely staggering. Then I had no doubt he was always going to win that award the other night.
“He’s gone on and achieved a hell of a lot, but he’s been able to do that while being at Villa and I think, at the moment, I can’t see where he would go. The goalkeeper market is very complicated in that it always needs a goalkeeper to move somewhere for it to let off a domino effect.
“Villa is a really stable club that’s travelling in the right direction, so I think he genuinely has an affinity and loves the club. There’s no reason why Villa can’t become a Champions League team, he’s a big part of that dressing room and the club.
“I think he believes he can fulfil his ambitions at Villa, so I’m genuinely not worried about anyone leaving the club at the moment and that’s how I feel about Martinez as well.”
In other Aston Villa news, a summer signing finally proved his worth with his performance against Luton.