It’s been a summer of unexpected change at Aston Villa so far. They signed Morgan Rogers for the British record and lost Youri Tielemans to Manchester United.
In their place, Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes and Alejandro Garnacho have all arrived as Unai Emery finally got the chance to spend big at Villa Park.
There is another saga waiting to unfold, however, and it involves Emiliano Martinez. It looked like the Argentinian striker was heading for the exit this time last year. He even said goodbye to Villa Park in a minute that quickly became difficult if he stayed.
Now, 12 months on, interest from Juventus has sparked further concern that he could leave. This time around, that concern is becoming more and more real, too.
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Who could replace Emi Martinez at Aston Villa? |
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Zion Suzuki (Parma) |
Aston Villa have been well aware of Martinez’s exit all summer and have already identified the likes of Zion Suzuki as a result. The Parma goalkeeper enjoyed a strong World Cup with Japan, finishing with a save percentage of 70.6% – just 1.4% lower than Martinez in the tournament. |
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Noah Atubolu (Freiburg) |
Another option is Noah Atubolu. The Freiburg shot-stopper came onto Villa’s radar after an impressive season in the Bundesliga, where he made 102 saves and created three chances. At 24 years old, he could be Villa’s No.1 for years to come. |
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Lucas Chevalier (PSG) |
On paper, Lucas Chevalier should be the strongest option. After a disappointing debut campaign at PSG, however, his stock has fallen dramatically. Now, it could be argued that he needs Aston Villa as much as they need him if Martinez leaves. |
Aston Villa have plenty to think about, but it’s up to Juventus to match the Villans’ asking price before the search for Martinez’s replacement begins.
Juventus agree with Martinez as Aston Villa talks continue
As reported by Italian journalist Allesio Lento and relayed by Sport Witness, Juventus have now agreed a deal with Martinez and must now return to club-to-club talks to secure his deal.
Negotiations will have to be “important” if Juventus are to strike a deal, with the Italian club still far from matching Villa’s asking price. That said, those in Turin don’t plan to stop signing Martinez anytime soon.
Aston Villa proved to be tough negotiators when they sold Rogers for a record fee this summer and are unlikely to accept anything lower than their valuation of Martinez.
While Martinez steals the headlines, Aston Villa could sneak another addition through the door. This time, they are reported to have contacted each other to sign Jonathan Rowe from Bologna.
The former Norwich City player impressed in Italy and dominated Matty Cash when Aston Villa played Bologna in the Europa League last season.
A return to English football would suit the player who scored 13 goals in all competitions last season.
