Unai Emery given perfect Emi Martinez news at Aston Villa as update drops from Argentina
Emi Martinez has spent many years as the number one with both Aston Villa and Argentina.
Martinez featured for Argentina against Puerto Rico in the October international break and kept a clean sheet in a 6-0 win.
The 33-year-old featured twice for his country despite Martinez’s absence as Villa beat Feyenoord in the Europa League earlier in the month.
Villa are still keen on extending Martinez’s contract as he continues to be recognised as the go-to man at Villa Park.
Ahead of a potential new deal, Unai Emery has been handed a much-welcome boost after the latest update from Argentina about Martinez.
Emi Martinez set to sit out Argentina’s November fixtures
Martinez wanted to join Manchester United in the summer, but he is still the undisputed number one keeper choice in the Midlands.
The ex-Arsenal man has kept just one Premier League clean sheet so far this season and will be keen on improving that record.
This hasn’t hampered his standing on the international stage as Lionel Scaloni continues to select ‘Dibu’ as his main shot-stopper.
That looks set to change in the next national team squad as the Argentina boss confirmed that other options will be called up for the friendlies in November.
Scaloni said: “Dibu always wants to play, like everyone else. But in November, we’ll surely try something else, that’s our plan.“
Martinez has a guaranteed spot in the squad for the 2026 World Cup, but secondary options like Facundo Cambeses, Walter Benitez and Geronimo Rulli look set to be given a chance.
The Villa keeper may see this as a blow and a frustration, but there is no doubt that Emery will see this as a welcome boost at Bodymoor Heath as it provides the keeper with some welcome rest time.
Martinez can still make step up for Aston Villa
The Argentine has become a cult hero in B6, but has certainly lost the backing of many Villa fans after his summer transfer antics.
He has now been forced to stick around the Midlands and has a point to prove if he is to rediscover the true backing of the Villa Park faithful.
Martinez could achieve this with some positive performances, something he has never struggled with on the international stage.
Most recently against Puerto Rico, the keeper maintained a 100 per cent pass accuracy while being forced into just one save en route to a clean sheet in Miami.
By comparison, in his last Villa outing, Martinez conceded a goal after facing just two shots, a save ratio which could undoubtedly be improved in claret and blue.
Indeed, Martinez’s save percentage of 50.5 per cent, as per FBref, places him only just in the top 50 per cent of goalkeepers across Europe’s top five leagues in that metric over the past 12 months.
It will be an ideal opportunity to improve during the November break, as it hands Emery the perfect opportunity to work closely with the shot-stopper.
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