‘Too easy’ – Why World Cup winner Emi Martinez has shunned marquee transfer in favour of Aston Villa stay

The enigmatic goalkeeper helped Argentina to Copa America glory in 2021, before claiming a global crown alongside Lionel Messi in Qatar a year later. His stock has soared on the back of international exploits, to the point that he has been linked with leading sides across Europe.

Martinez is, however, happy in his current surroundings – having joined Villa from Arsenal in 2020 and recorded his 50th clean sheet for the club in their last Premier League outing against Wolves. That 2-0 win over West Midlands rivals has kept the Villans in the hunt for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.

Martinez is determined to help them over that line, telling DSports Radio that he would take more from that achievement that moving to a team expected to compete for a place at European football’s top table. He has said: “Since I joined the club we have progressed by leaps and bounds. When I arrived we were at the bottom and became a mid-table club, then got to the Conference League and now we were recently fighting for first place. Obviously, after many injuries, we fell a little, but we are in the Champions League positions and in the quarter-finals of a European competition. The club hasn’t qualified for the Champions League for 45 years, so entering the Champions League would be like winning a title. It’s very good because it’s easy too jump to a giant club and play in the Champions League. But playing in the Champions League with a club which nobody expects to be there - the merit for me is a little more.”

Martinez is tied to a contract at Villa Park through to the summer of 2027 and, at 31 years of age, would appear to still have plenty of football at the very highest level left in him when donning the colours of club and country.