Unai Emery is blessed with a wealth of quality options in his Aston Villa squad that he’s added to this summer.
Aston Villa completed most of their transfer business early but are still eyeing a dream ending to the window as they embark on the Champions League.
Bankrolled by the sales of Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby, the Villans have splashed the cash on seven new players, including a £50 million deal to sign Amadou Onana from Everton.
It was a promising start for the Villa debutants against West Ham, as Onana opened the scoring inside four minutes while Ian Maatsen and winger Jaden Philogene looked lively from the bench.
Unai Emery has assembled an exciting team that boasts several quality players but it’s one long-serving star who has drawn some incredible praise.
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Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez told he’s ‘the best’ in the Premier League
Emi Martinez has been simply sensational for Aston Villa since arriving from Arsenal in 2020.
The World Cup and Copa America-winning goalkeeper has propelled himself towards world-class status with his exceptional performances between the sticks.
Martinez helped Villa record a fourth-place finish and reach a European semi-final last term, with the club recognising his efforts by giving the 31-year-old a new five-year contract.
Speaking about the gloveman on the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast, Chris Sutton sang the praises of the Argentine, claiming he’s the ‘Premier League’s best’ in his position.
“Emi Martinez, I think he’s the best goalkeeper in the Premier League,” Sutton said. “I think that you look at his performances over a prolonged period of time, the fact that he’s a World Cup winner as well and the way that he performed.
“I mean, what? I think he’s an elite goalkeeper and as I say, I can just imagine if I played at Villa very briefly, but he’s a goalkeeper, I think, who anybody would feel blimey, we’ve got real security behind us.
“And yeah, I do think he’s the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. I think a lot of people feel the same way, don’t they?”
Emi Martinez is the best goalkeeper in the world
Although Sutton claims he’s the best keeper in the league, Martinez can go one better and say he’s the best goalkeeper on the planet.
Last year, he won the Yashin Trophy, an award given to the best goalkeeper in the world. That was largely recognising his role in Argentina winning the World Cup but his displays at club level are equally exceptional.
After his match-winning performance against Lille in the Europa Conference League penalty shootout win, Emery lauded him as the world’s best as his two saves sent them into the semi-finals.
“He is being successful individually and with both Argentina and Villa,” Emery said. “Having been successful with Argentina, he is progressively getting better with Villa.
“He is decisive in a lot of matches and of course, he is one of the best goalkeepers. The first, second, third? For me he is the best.”
For what he’s achieved in the last two years, both at Villa and Argentina, there’s no questioning his status. He’s top of the pile among the likes of Ederson, Alisson and Jan Oblak and if you’d have told him that four years ago, he wouldn’t have believed you.
