Emiliano Martínez’s family speak out after failed Manchester United transfer

Emiliano Martínez’s brother and father have broken their silence to describe why the goalkeeper’s anticipated move to Manchester United collapsed on transfer deadline day, leaving the Argentina international to remain at Aston Villa.

Martínez, 32, had appeared set to leave Villa Park after four years at the club and was widely expected to join United. The two clubs were reported to be in discussions until the end of the summer transfer window, but no deal was completed and Martínez stayed at Villa when the window closed.

The goalkeeper cut an emotional figure at the end of last season when he appeared to wave goodbye to Villa fans, and his absence from early-season matchday squads fuelled speculation about a move. He was said to have been at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground as a transfer to United was anticipated, and he missed two of Aston Villa’s opening three Premier League games while talks continued.

According to reporting by The Athletic, Martínez spoke with Argentina team-mate Lisandro Martínez, who plays at Manchester United, in an attempt to facilitate the transfer. Martínez’s family have now provided their account of events, saying negotiations were ongoing up to the deadline and outlining why the move ultimately did not materialise.

The family described a sequence of negotiations and timing factors that, in their view, resulted in the transfer failing to be completed before the window closed. They said the goalkeeper had hoped to finalise the move but that circumstances beyond his control left him "stuck" on deadline day.

Aston Villa retained Martínez’s services after the window closed. He remains under contract at Villa Park, where he has been the club’s first-choice goalkeeper since joining in 2020. The episode follows a sustained period of transfer speculation around Martínez since the end of last season.

Manchester United made no public statement on the collapse of any deal. Neither club released detailed accounts of the final negotiations, and the parties involved have not provided a full public timeline of conversations that occurred in the run-up to the deadline.

Martínez’s place in Aston Villa’s squad and his international status mean he is likely to remain the subject of transfer interest in future windows. For now, he is back at Villa Park after a summer in which both personal emotion and intense speculation surrounded his future.