Emi Martinez transfer collapse: Villa’s World Cup winner in limbo as Suzuki arrives

Emi Martinez’s proposed move to Juventus has collapsed, leaving Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper staring at the most awkward fortnight of his career — and his replacement is already on the way. As Villa prepare to open their Premier League campaign at Brighton on Sunday, the 33-year-old Argentine finds himself back in the transfer limbo that has stalked so much of his time at Villa Park.

The deal died on money, not doubt. The two clubs simply could not agree a fee, with Villa holding out for close to £10m, and sources in Italy told BBC Sport that was the only reason the switch fell through. The fractured finger Martinez picked up in the warm-up before May’s Europa League final victory over Freiburg was never a sticking point — even though he acknowledged during the World Cup that the injury had been giving him trouble.

Juventus have instead moved for Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, who joins on loan with an £8.6m option to buy. It is a cheaper solution, and it leaves the twice-crowned best goalkeeper on the planet waiting for another door to open.

The succession plan at Villa, meanwhile, is already in motion. Zion Suzuki is expected to complete a move from Parma worth around £30m, and the Japan international — 23 until Friday — is regarded inside the club as a keeper who could own the No 1 shirt for the next decade. That profile matters to a side deliberately trimming the age of its squad.

The financial picture explains the urgency. Villa have spent the summer selling in order to stay within Uefa and Premier League rules, with Morgan Rogers departing for Chelsea in a £117m deal and Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne also moved on. Offloading Martinez, one of the club’s top earners, would have served two purposes at once: cutting the wage bill and lowering the average age. Instead, Villa must now either find him a way out before the window closes or leave an expensive asset kicking his heels on the bench.

It is a striking reversal of the party line. Only a month ago, director of football operations Damian Vidagany insisted to 365 Scores that the goalkeeper’s future was settled, saying the club had no intention of letting him go and that he remained a vital part of the project. The Juventus collapse has ripped up that script.

Time remains for a resolution, but not much. The Premier League window shuts on 1 September, while Saudi Arabian clubs can still buy until 12 October and Turkey’s deadline falls on 4 September — and the Middle East has circled Martinez before.

This is not the first time he has hovered near the exit. Manchester United came calling last summer, with Ruben Amorim eager to sign him, only for the Old Trafford hierarchy to overrule their manager and spend the budget on forwards instead — Matheus Cunha costing £62.5m and Bryan Mbeumo £65m — while Senne Lammens was signed from Royal Antwerp as the goalkeeping alternative.

Martinez stayed, helped Unai Emery lift the Europa League and end a 30-year trophy drought in Istanbul. Six years and 256 appearances after his £17m move from Arsenal in 2020, with a World Cup and two FIFA best-keeper awards behind him and a contract running until 2029, he could yet decide that famous night in May was his farewell. For now, the best goalkeeper in the world is simply waiting — and the clock is ticking.

Reported by BBC Sport, which detailed the collapse of Martinez’s proposed switch to Juventus.