Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has blossomed into “one of the best in the world” just six months after leaving Arsenal, agent Gustavo Goni has told Tuttomercatoweb.
In the past few years, David Ospina, Bernd Leno and an ageing Petr Cech have enjoyed spells as the Gunners’ number one.
On current form, Martinez looks better than all of them.
The Argentina international has been a revelation at Aston Villa this season, his £20 million transfer fee looking increasingly like a bargain with every fingertip save and comfortably claimed cross.
Suddenly, fans and pundits alike are lining up to question why Arsenal didn’t give more of a chance to a man who made just 15 Premier League appearances in almost a decade in north London.
“He is proving to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” says Martinez’s agent, not untruthfully.
“He has everything it takes to be in that batch of goalkeepers – stature, personality, good with his feet, good at going out, and solid in goal.
“It’s hard to find a weakness. He has worked on everything.
“Moving to Aston Villa was a success it’s true and he’s happy – but he would have shone at any club, including Arsenal!
“He proved to be very strong there too – the genie came out of the lamp after Leno’s injury (late last season). He is now in the national team and I’m sure he’ll take the number one shirt and will never lose it.”
With Alisson Becker, David de Gea and Leno himself making high-profile errors this season, there’s certainly an argument to be made that the best goalkeeper playing in the Premier League is currently standing between the sticks at Villa Park.
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