Emiliano Martinez’s family have spoken out on the goalkeeper’s failed transfer to Manchester United in a saga that saw him remain at Aston Villa.
Martinez was expected to leave the club this summer after four years, and cut an emotional figure as he broke down into tears when seemingly waving goodbye to fans after Villa’s last game of the season last summer.
He had appeared set to join United, and the two clubs were in discussions right until the end of the window, when no move materialised and he instead stayed at Villa Park.
Martinez, 32, was said to be at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground in Warwickshire as he anticipated a switch to the Red Devils having missed two of his side’s opening three Premier League games so far.
According to The Athletic, Emiliano spoke to his Argentina team-mate, current United centre-back Lisandro Martinez, in an attempt to make the switch happen.
But it didn’t – and his family have now broken their silence on the failed move to give their views.
‘I was told that Emi gave a lot as a professional and as a person, they love him, and you could see that on the pitch,’ Martinez’s brother, Alejandro, told DSports Radio. ‘He is well-liked, and the directors didn’t want to sell him because he is the key player in the team, and another team wanted him. It was that commercial dispute.
‘These are decisions made by club officials. It didn’t happen, but it’s like everything else in business. The sporting side of things was left out of it, and everything is fine.’
Marco Bizot has started two of Villa’s three games in the Premier League so far this season. Martinez was suspended for the season opener against Newcastle, being being back in goal for the loss at Brentford.
Against Crystal Palace last weekend, however, Martinez was nowhere to be seen and Emery refused to reveal why in a bizarre interview.
Alejandro said there was nothing in it, but spoke extremely highly of his brother.
‘Emi never had an argument with Unai,’ Alejandro added. ‘It was all within the management’s control, and the clubs couldn’t agree.
‘At Aston Villa, he’s the Diego [Maradona] of Napoli. He gave a lot at Villa, like Kun [Aguero] did at City, like Leo [Messi] did at Barca. They’re legendary players, and it’s going to be hard to surpass what he did at Aston Villa.’
Martinez’s father, Alberto, meanwhile, added: ‘This is a job, this is a factory, and factories have employees. He’s just another employee, and the factory won’t let him go if he’s good. It’s all business. Tomorrow it will happen, today it didn’t happen.’
Ruben Amorim’s side did not make a formal approach until Martinez returned to Birmingham for pre-season training, after which they enquired about a potential loan deal to the Villains.
A move then failed to materialise on deadline day as Amorim instead chose to strike a transfer for Royal Antwerp’s 23-year-old Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
United were potentially put off by the cost of a move for Martinez, who earns more than Andre Onana based on his current contract at Villa, with Emery’s side claimed to have set a £30million fee for the Argentine shot-stopper.
As Monday’s transfer deadline of 7pm drew ever closer, Martinez finally opted to fly to Argentina for their World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador.
Manchester United, Aston Villa and Martinez’s representatives declined to comment.
It comes after Amorim’s side agreed a deal worth £21.7m with the Belgian side and there will be no sell-on clause.
Lammens has agreed a five year contract at Old Trafford and comes in to solve Amorim’s problem between the sticks.
