With doubts over Kiko Casilla, could Leeds United look again at Emiliano Martinez?
It’s all gone very wrong for Kiko Casilla at Leeds United.
The Spanish goalkeeper, who joined Leeds in January, enjoyed a brilliant start to life in the Championship and relegated Bailey Peacock-Farrell to being Marcelo Bielsa’s second-choice option.
But the former Real Madrid man, who has three Champions League titles on his CV, has grown gradually more unsteady, culminating in his and Liam Cooper’s horrific mix-up which led to Derby County scoring one of the goals which denied United Premier League promotion a little earlier this month.
Unsurprisingly, Casilla is now being linked with a move away, with The Sun on Sunday [26-05, page 69] reporting that the 32-year-old could leave.
It seems like Leeds could be in the market for a new goalkeeper, and should they consider Emiliano Martinez again?
According to The Daily Mail, the Whites looked at the Arsenal ace in January but wound up getting Casilla, which lessened the need for the Argentine, who turns 27 in September.
He went to Reading and enjoyed a brilliant half-season loan with the Royals and was arguably that bit more consistent than Casilla.
With Bernd Leno the main man at Arsenal and David Ospina potentially returning, Martinez, who was also linked with a move to Elland Road in January of 2018 [AS], might not have much game time next season, so why doesn’t Bielsa take another look?
Competent? Check. Experienced? Check. Error-free? Check.
Martinez, who earns £10,000 per week in North London [Spotrac], might not be attainable long term, such is his promise, but for next season he would do just fine if the former Real man quits.
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