The relationship between Emilian Martinez and Unai Emery at Aston Villa remains tense and the star’s future is up in the air going into the summer, sources have told Football Insider.Sources have told Football Insider that Martinez has yet to make up his mind over whether he wants to push for a move and much will depend on the level of interest in him.
Sources have told Football Insider that Martinez has yet to make up his mind over whether he wants to push for a move and much will depend on the level of interest in him.
It will take a “huge” fee to lure Martinez from Villa, with sources suggesting it will be well north of £45million.
The keeper signed a new and improved contract in January 2022 when he was in outstanding form and attracting widespread attention from rivals.
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The Argentine has not been quite as effective this season with regular observers noting a drop in his once very high standards.
Behind the scenes, there is a genuine and deep-rooted clash of personalities between Emery and Martinez.
This was first detailed here in late November, with the friction between the two putting the Argentine’s long-term future at Villa under threat.
Emery publicly criticised Martinez in February for his “embarrassing” decision to go up for a last-minute Aston Villa corner that enabled Arsenal to score on the counter-attack in added time and secure a second injury-time goal and a 4-2 win.
For his part, Martinez revels in his status as a World Cup winner and an outsized personality whose time-wasting antics so infuriate rival teams and sets of supporters.
Martinez’s high profile does not sit so well with a manager who is working so hard to instil a team-first ethic at the club.
It is understood, said one source, that the pair had a “fall-out” at Arsenal during the Spaniard’s 18-month spell as the club’s manager.
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