Aston Villa now in advanced talks for Emi Martinez replacement amid Man United latest
Aston Villa could be set to lose Emi Martinez to Manchester United.
Martinez has been linked away from Villa to Man United constantly throughout the summer window, much to the frustration of those at Villa Park.
These widespread rumours haven’t come as a surprise after Martinez’s Villa tears after last season’s final home game against Tottenham.
With that being said, Unai Emery won’t want to lose his number one with Martinez coming straight back in for Villa against Brentford.
Even with that being the case, it doesn’t appear that the Spaniard will get much say on the matter of Martinez as the B6 club enters talks over a new keeper signing.
Aston Villa move closer to Emi Martinez alternative signing
There is no getting away from the fact that losing the World Cup winner would prove to be a huge blow if not replaced adequately.
Martinez has deservedly won two Yashin Trophy awards in the past two years, such has been his excellence compared to the best keepers in world football.
As a result, losing a player of that stature in the Midlands could prove to be catastrophic at this stage of the window.
That is, if a replacement can’t be found, but it appears that Villa are already well prepared for the possibility of the Argentine’s exit.
This comes after Sacha Tavolieri reported on 31 August that Manchester United are working to get a deal done for Martinez ahead of prior target Senne Lammens.
That has now seen Villa enter advanced talks with Porto to sign Diogo Costa as a direct and elite alternative to the ex-Arsenal man.
Diogo Costa would represent real coup for Aston Villa
If you are going to lose one of the world’s best goalkeepers, it makes sense to replace them with another.
Portugal’s number one has been highly rated for many years after breaking through at Porto and establishing himself as a force in European football.
| Stat per 90 (2024/25) | Diogo Costa |
| Saves | 1.84 |
| Clean sheets | 0.50 |
| Acted as sweeper | 0.63 |
| High claim | 0.59 |
| Accurate long passes | 5.72 |
The 25-year-old represents a much better age profile for the Villans, while already being at a similar level to his Argentine counterpart.
It would prove to be a blow to lose Martinez, but replacing him with someone as excellent as Costa should be viewed as a step up, not a step back.
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