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Aston Villa registered a fine 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park in the Premier League on Friday.
Two second-half strikes from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara helped Unai Emery's men seal a crucial win as they chase Champions League qualification for next season.
After the match, when the Villa players did a round of Villa Park thanking the fans for their support, custodian Emi Martinez looked different. He was teary-eyed as he waved towards the fans.
Many are speculated that the Argentine goalkeeper may potentially be on his way out of the club this summer. Therefore, the game against Tottenham was the last time he played at Villa Park. So, Martinez was bidding them farewell after five glorious years with the West Midlands outfit.
The Argentine has been one of the most consistent players for Villa over the last few years. He has been a big figure in the club's dressing room, and Emery has often relied on him for making match-defining saves.
So it will be an emotional farewell for not only the 32-year-old but also for the fans.
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Where will Martinez end up this summer?
As reports from Argentina by journalist Gaston Edul, Martinez has offers from Saudi Arabia but the 32-year-old isn't interested in moving to the Saudi Pro League. He also has two offers from European clubs and will probably take a call soon.
🗣️ "He'll be a big loss to them"
🗣️ "That does look like he was waving goodbye for sure"
Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp on Emi Martinez waving to the Villa Park crowd with tears in his eyes 👋 pic.twitter.com/wNaMId6Cij
He doesn't want to move to the Saudi Pro League just yet, with the World Cup scheduled next year.
“We will see,” Emery told the reporters when asked about emotional Martinez after the 2-0 win and whether that meant the goalkeeper had played his final match for the club. “Of course, it is the last match here [this season], and I don’t know. We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field.”
If Martinez leaves Villa this summer, Emery will have a big headache in replacing him with a goalkeeper of a similar calibre. Also, Villa's transfer activity may be restricted this summer as they have Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns.
He joined Aston Villa from Arsenal in 2020 for £20 million and delivered some exceptional performances. He helped the club rise in the English top tier and also guided them to the Champions League this term.
Overall, Martinez has featured in 211 appearances for Villa until now. This season, he has played 52 matches and maintained a decent 72.1% save percentage. In 36 Premier League outings this term, he has mustered eight clean sheets.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Aston Villa have shown interest in Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. But the Villans will have to fend off stiff competition from clubs like Newcastle United and Arsenal to land the Spanish custodian this summer.
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