Atletico Madrid have reportedly made Aston Villa star Emi Martinez their main target to replace Jan Oblak should the La Liga shot-stopper leave the club next year, with Manchester United interested in signing the Slovenian.
According to the Mirror, the Spanish giants have identified the Argentine goalkeeper as their priority if Oblack leaves Atletico in the coming months, with the 29-year-old’s contract with the club expiring in 2023 amid interest from Erik Ten Hag’s United, as per the report.
Martinez only joined Villa in 2020 for a reported £20m, yet since then, the former Arsenal keeper has established himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League as well as Argentina’s defined no. 1, with the 30-year-old set to man the sticks for the South American giants in the 2022 FIFA World Cup this November.
Whilst Villa have been ambitious in their spending since their return to the Premier League, progress has stalled somewhat since their midtable finish in the 2020/21 season, with Steven Gerrard’s position at the club at stake amid growing pressure from fans for better results.
And this could play a big role in Martinez’s future at Villa Park, with Atletico’s interest in signing the keeper something that would easily entice the Premier League star to leave England and move to Spain to play for one of Europe’s biggest and best sides.
Indeed, Atletico have made two UEFA Champions League finals under Diego Simeone as well as won two La Liga titles, and for Martinez, signing for the Spanish giants might be too good an opportunity to turn down at this stage of his career where the Villa star is at his absolute best.
Atletico could sign Martinez in 2023 if Oblak leaves in the summer
Replacing Oblak will be no small feat for Atletico given how influential the Slovenian has been for the club over the years, yet Martinez would be a worthy heir to the goalkeeper’s shirt in Madrid, and the Villa star could be more than willing to make the move to La Liga after three good seasons at Villa Park.
After all, Martinez is yet to play a Champions League fixture nor play regular football for a club as big as Atletico, and an offer in 2023 will likely see the keeper push for a move to Spain should Oblak actually leave in the summer, a move that could be quite seismic in the European landscape.
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