Aston Villa should not keep players who do not want to be at the club.
That is the view of ex-Aston Villa attacker and CaughtOffside columnist Stan Collymore, who isn’t bothered by suggestions his former club could lose their number one this summer.
According to a recent report from TYC Sports, Martinez, 30, is wanted by a trio of Premier League clubs – Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United
Following his decision to leave Arsenal to become a side’s outright number one, Martinez joined Aston Villa in 2020 in a deal worth £17m (Transfermarkt).
Consequently, after impressing for the Villians in the Premier League, the 30-year-old earned the right to represent Argentina in last year’s World Cup in Qatar, and going on to lift the prestigious international trophy, Martinez, now a World Cup winner, has seen his stock rise.
And with a host of clubs on the lookout for a new goalkeeper, particularly Spurs, who look set to bid farewell to veteran shot-stopper Hugo Lloris (The Times), Martinez could find himself at a new club in time for next season.
What has Stan Collymore said about Emi Martinez?
However, despite the speculation surrounding Villa’s number one, Collymore wouldn’t care if the South American moved on.
“If he wants to leave Aston Villa, then just go,” Collymore said in an exclusive interview.
“As a fan of the club, I don’t want any player there who doesn’t want to be there.
“He’s being linked with Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United. While I am sure he’d provide the likes of Kepa, Edouard Mendy and David De Gea with competition, I’m not sure he’d be a major upgrade for either.
“However, with Hugo Lloris nowhere near the player he once was and looking likely to leave at the end of the season, a move to Tottenham for Martinez is one that could happen.”
During his three years at Villa Park, Martinez, who has four years left on his deal, has kept 39 clean sheets in 109 appearances in all competitions.
