Manchester United were reportedly close to landing one of Unai Emery’s stars last summer but instead spent their money elsewhere.
Aston Villa have so many quality players in the squad who were fundamental to qualifying for the Champions League last term.
Ollie Watkins hit record-breaking numbers under Unai Emery in 2023/24, the levels he’ll struggle to replicate next term, firing the most assists across Europe (13) and 24 goals in all competitions.
The Englishman carried the weight of expectation on his back in an attacking sense, dropping deep to create chances while dispatching his opportunities in the final third.
Whilst Watkins is integral to a brighter future at Villa Park in attack, the heroics of Emi Martinez in goal are arguably just as important, with the Argentine becoming one of the world’s best in his position.
In a summer where Villa have sold some of their promising assets, including Douglas Luiz, Tim Iroegbunham and Omari Kellyman, Watkins and Martinez are untouchable, although one Premier League giant did attempt to sign their goalkeeper last summer.
Manchester United were ‘very close’ to signing Emi Martinez
Argentine footballer Gonzalo Goñi, who has represented the player since the age of 12, has revealed lots of information on the goalkeeper in an interview with ESPN Futbol 12.
Goni was asked whether he could see the 32-year-old leaving for a bigger club than Villa and revealed that Manchester United were ‘very close’ to landing Martinez, who instead signed Andre Onana in a £47 million move from Inter Milan.
“Today he is in one of the best projects,” he said. “Last year he was very close to Manchester United, the coach opted for Onana, because he already knew him. But everyone later at Manchester United maintained that the ideal goalkeeper to win was Emiliano Martínez.”
Onana was signed by Erik ten Hag, who previously managed the Cameroon international at Ajax and it looked like the perfect fit for the player and club.
Although since arriving in Manchester, the 28-year-old has had his critics and Martinez is by far the better goalkeeper. It explains why conversations are being had over his future.
How much Aston Villa would have wanted for Emi Martinez
For a goalkeeper, Martinez is currently in his prime at the age of 32 and still has at least four or five more years to compete at the very top.
An instrumental member of the Villa squad and irreplaceable without spending an absurd amount of money, the World Cup-winning shot-stopper would have commanded close to what Chelsea paid for Kepa Arrizabalaga in the summer of 2018 (£71.6m), or perhaps even usurped it.
Dubbed as “world-class”, Martinez is highly regarded as the current best goalkeeper on the planet and his performances on the international stage for Argentina reinforce that claim, saving two penalties in a shootout against Ecuador to win 4-2.
Lionel Messi – who missed the first spot-kick – waxed lyrical about his teammate, lauding him as the best on the planet.
For arguably the greatest player of all time to say that, it just shows the levels he’s reached since arriving at Villa and places his value at upwards of £70 million to prise him away from B6.
