Manchester United’s summer search for a new goalkeeper nearly ended with Emiliano Martinez in red.
But the deal never happened, and now his brother has explained why.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper, who many fans see as the heartbeat of Unai Emery’s side, was strongly linked with Old Trafford. Instead, he remains in claret and blue — and now his brother has explained why.
The 33-year-old was reportedly open to a switch and even looked like he was saying farewell to Villa fans at the end of last season.
But when the window slammed shut, United had turned to Senne Lammens, and Martinez was left where he started.
So why did it collapse? His brother Alejandro gave the answer.
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Emi Martinez’s brother reveals the inside story behind failed Man Utd transfer
Speaking to DSports Radio, Alejandro Martinez said: “These are decisions made by club directors. It didn’t happen, but it’s like everything commercial. The sporting aspect was left aside, and everything is fine. Emi never had an argument with Unai [Emery]. It was all left to the directors, and the clubs couldn’t agree.”
He added that Villa simply refused to part with their star man: “They love him, and it showed on the field. He’s beloved, and the management didn’t want to sell him because he’s a key player for the team and another team wanted him. It was that trade dispute.”
Martinez’s father, Alberto, put it more bluntly, saying football is “a factory” and clubs will not let their best “employees” walk away easily.
The goalkeeper is under contract until 2029, meaning Villa were never going to let him walk for anything less than a huge fee. His brother even described him as “the Diego of Napoli” for Villa, underlining just how important he is in Birmingham.
For United, the failed chase is another reminder that transfers can be as slippery as a wet night at Old Trafford.
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