Sources: Emiliano Martinez makes Aston Villa U-turn
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(Credit: Imago)
Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent
Sun 24 August 2025 18:34, UK
Unai Emery has no plans to let Emiliano Martinez leave Aston Villa this summer after a departure looked “inevitable” at the end of last season, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about Martinez’s still-undetermined future at Villa Park.
Martinez returned to the Aston Villa goalmouth for their second Premier League game of the season, and was at the centre of controversy after Brentford had a goal ruled out in their 1-0 win over Emery’s side.
The Argentine had been suspended for Villa’s first game following his red card in their final match of last season against Man United, who have already tried and failed with a loan offer for Martinez this summer.
Fans had feared the worst after Martinez waved an emotional goodbye at Villa Park, but sources have told Football Insider that the 32-year-old will be going nowhere Man United‘s loan offer was rejected.
Man United were confident they could sign Martinez this summer (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Football Insider revealed in June that Martinez had rejected a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League, further underlining his intention to stay put at Villa Park as Emery‘s number one for the forseeable future.
Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke stated that Emery has no plans to let Martinez leave despite a positive debut from number two Marco Bizot, rebuffing Man United’s interest as a result.
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“He remains part of Emery’s plans after he missed their opening game of the season through suspension”, he told Football Insider.
“At the back end of last season, it looked like a departure was inevitable for Martinez with that emotional final game at Villa Park.
“Manchester United showed a bit of interest on a potential loan, but that was never going to work with Aston Villa.
“They were only going to consider selling the Argentine for big, big money, so they could maybe use that to reinvest in the squad.
Emery wants to keep hold of Emiliano Martinez.”
Unai Emery has had a frustrating summer window at Villa Park (Credit: Imago)
Martinez’s potential exit coming to pass would have been yet another setback for an Aston Villa side which is operating under the strict pressure of PSR this summer, with Jacob Ramsey already sold off.
Ramsey’s move to Newcastle hasn’t gone down well with other members of Aston Villa’s squad, and the £39million fee is yet to be reinvested in a squad which has won just one point from six so far this season.
Emery will be keen to accelerate Villa’s incomings as the final week of the transfer window beckons, but much of the discourse continues to be around the possible departures of Martinez and other key men rather than potential new faces.