Football General Manager
- Martinez may leave Aston Villa
- Keeper could be ‘tempted’ by Saudi
- Man Utd transfer move stalls
According to Clarin via Sport Witness, Martinez has an offer from the Saudi Pro League and, as time passes, a move there is becoming more of a possibility. This comes at a time when United‘s efforts to sign the 32-year-old on loan were swiftly rebuffed.
Earlier this summer, Martinez was reportedly not enticed by the riches the Saudi Pro League can offer but if the Argentinian does not receive more attractive proposals, a Middle East switch could be on the cards. The report adds that the Argentine national team doesn’t want him to move to a ‘lower league’ before next year’s World Cup but that may be out of their control.
Former Arsenal keeper Martinez, who seemed to wave a teary goodbye to Villa fans back in May, now has a better chance of sealing a Saudi move as the division has changed the quota for foreign players from eight to 10 per team ahead of next season.
It remains to be seen if Martinez will still be at Villa when their Premier League opener against Newcastle United rolls around on August 16. Before then, they face Eintracht Frankfurt, St Louis, Nashville, Roma, Marseille and Villarreal for their pre-season fixtures.