Arsenal legend tells Three Lions to look at £17m Aston Villa summer signing – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Aston Villa snapped up Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal for £17 million last September, and the 28-year-old is unarguably one of the best in his position right now in the Premier League.
Martinez left the Gunners after 10 years when it emerged that Bernd Leno would be manager Mikel Arteta’s first choice this season, and he described the move as a step up in his career.
Villa secured home and away league victories over Arsenal this term, with the goalkeeper playing a huge role as his side completed a top-flight double over the Gunners since the inaugural Premier League campaign in 1992-93.
Martinez kept clean sheets in both games and is one of the reasons why Dean Smith’s side are flying high this term and are ahead of his former club in the table.
Villa have secured 11 wins and two draws in 21 league games, conceding 24 goals and keeping 11 clean sheets, and Arsenal legend Ray Parlour and former West Ham United star Trevor Sinclair believe that the England national team should be looking at Martinez.
𝗥𝗮𝘆: “He’s one of the signings of the summer… he’d get in the England team.”
𝗧𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿: “100% Emi Martinez would be in the England team, for me.”
Ray Parlour & Trevor Sinclair say England should look at #AVFC’s Emi Martinez, who has yet to play for Argentina
pic.twitter.com/thi2fyFqys
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 12, 2021
The Argentine is yet to play for his country of birth’s senior national team but has represented them at under-17 and under-20 levels.
The Villa man was called up to the Argentina senior squad to replace Oscar Ustari to face Nigeria in June 2011, and he received his second senior call-up against Germany and Ecuador in October 2019.
However, he was an unused substitute for those friendly matches and is eligible to represent England as he qualifies due to his homegrown status.
The Three Lions are not short of quality options in the goalkeeping department, though, with Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Burnley’s Nick Pope and Manchester United’s Dean Henderson all vying for the number 1 spot at the moment.
However, Martinez will definitely give them a run for the money if manager Gareth Southgate decides to call him up.