Stephen Warnock says Chelsea transfer target Emi Martinez will ‘stay’ at Unai Emery’s Aston Villa this summer.
The former Aston Villa left-back stated that, if the 2022 World Cup winner left the club, then he would be ‘very hard to replace’, as he told Sky Sports Premier League’s Summer Series (30/07/23).
But Warnock thinks that talk about Emi Martinez’s future has ‘quietly gone under the carpet’ and he thinks he will stay put at Europe-bound, Aston Villa.
With Mauricio Pochettino recently becoming Chelsea manager, he is trying to reshape the squad, including suggestions that he wants his fellow countryman at Stamford Bridge.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is the number one at Chelsea, after the departure of Edouard Mendy, but both have come under fire for their performances at the club.
Whilst Chelsea fans hope to lure a player of Martinez’s towards their direction, Warnock just can’t see it happening.
“What you notice when you are around the training ground and close to Emi Martinez, is the stature of the man, the size of him in goal,” said Warnock.
“Also what he has got is this huge personality and character. He won the World Cup and got huge respect from his players as well.
“He isn’t irreplaceable, but he is going to be very hard to replace. There was a lot of talk about him leaving the club in the summer. I think that has quietly gone under the carpet now and it’s one of those situations where we think he will stay here. He is hugely influential for Aston Villa.”
Martinez a key member of Villa’s side
The vice-captain, the number one shot-stopper and the player that is dreaming big in the colours of Claret and Blue.
If Villa have to part ways with Martinez, then they would demand serious, serious money for the player, just like they did with Jack Grealish.
That might prove to be off-putting for teams, but either way, as of this moment, fans shouldn’t get worried about losing him this summer.
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