Emi Martinez

[Brazilian Villain]

Do we retire his shirt?, can't think of any other club that has done it previously

Plus it would be the first time a No. 23 shirt has been retired in sport.

[Toronto Villa]

Normally I’d be confident that we can use the cash to improve the team .

This time I’m confident we won’t

What makes you say that?

I assume because we'd almost certainly be downgrading our goalkeeper whoever we bring in, rather than any aspersions cast at our recruitment people.

5 years ago we bought a keeper most people had hardly heard of and he turned out to be the best in the world.

Not an easy trick to repeat, but the next line of great keepers are all out there somewhere.

I think talent wise there will be younger keepers who can do many of the things Emi does well. He had to essentially relearn distribution to Emery’s standards. Many of these top young keepers are much more natural at that if they are raised in those systems. There are great shot stoppers and those who command the area. Good at taking crosses. But there are going to few if any who put it altogether. Have the aura that comes from global exploits with his country over many years at the highest levels winning everything in international football. The arrogance he brings that makes his teammates and us as fans so confident when he’s playing. There are top keepers out there but few will package it all. Emi today is so much better than the one we bought so it will take whoever we buy timing to get to those overall standards. And they might never get there.

[Toronto Villa]

It may be as simple as Emi wants to leave. He can still love the club but decide that at 32 and having had a short career at the top that he fancies either massively padding his finances for a few years in Saudi, or taking a shot at somewhere like Barcelona. The window for him to do either, especially the latter, is getting smaller for him.

Unlike Duran who has done it so young, hard to deny that to a keeper who has given everything to us and is in the final years of his career. The money will be outrageous if that’s where he ends up. I prefer him to actually go to somewhere like Bayern as it would be great to see him continue to compete at the top end of European football and win trophies.

[brontebilly]

It may be as simple as Emi wants to leave. He can still love the club but decide that at 32 and having had a short career at the top that he fancies either massively padding his finances for a few years in Saudi, or taking a shot at somewhere like Barcelona. The window for him to do either, especially the latter, is getting smaller for him.

Hope for his sake it's not Saudi. He's a top player and should be playing at the highest level.

Brilliant signing by Deano. I thought it seemed a lot of money at the time for Arsenals backup keeper but he couldn't have been any better really. Bozzie was great but really Martinez surpassed him by a long way with his consistency. No doubt a bit off his very best this season but still finishing with a number of clean sheets. Sharp save yesterday too. Hope he isn't going as Id back him to, with a break over the summer, to be back to his very best next season.

[darren woolley]

I really don't want Emi to go I would be gutted if he did go.

[Dante Lavelli]

It does seem wrong if he doesn’t really want to go though.

I dont know about that.  He has one final big contract left, so whether he chooses money or trophies this is probably the last opportunity he’ll have.  Equally, that doesn’t mean he cannot love the club that helped elevate him to that position.

[aldridgeboy]

Im dreading one of those videos that starts with him sitting down in front of a camera to talk to us

[eye digress]

I thought Barca was 800 million in debt and had also played ineligle players they are going to be in trouble about.     
I did think last night the only 'big team' with an average goalie was Barca . most the others have decent ones , as couldnt see him going Saudi.   

Fits the profile of the sort of player Bayern would sign and Neuer can't go on forever.

My thoughts too. Barça fit the bit football wise, but will struggle financially.

Bayern have a need and the means to put together a hefty bid.

That being said, not sure I would attribute any departure to PSR - there's enough, I would imagine, to make good any PSR shortfall with the marginals and loanees if need be - Buendià + Bailey + Barrenechea + Barry + Iling Junior + Ned + one or two others - must be conservatively north of £70m.

I think it's more likely that Martinez is agitating to move to an elite club (as opposed to an aspirant). In which case, we could yet persuade him to stay.

Or that Unai has decided that the current spine has served its purpose and needs a complete overhaul to move forwards. In which case, Martinez is a very bankable asset.

[LeeB]

Kelleher at Liverpool looks a good keeper, on his way out apparently.

[BC Villain]

Sorry you’re just talking nonsense - “accept first offer that comes along” I struggle to see how any of the sales we’ve made haven’t made sense - I didn’t want to lose Doug, but he wanted to go. Duran was always agitating and we got a brilliant price.

Luiz may have (though it appears he regrets it now) but Duran would have stayed if he'd been used properly.  Sell Martinez and should his replacement not work, Emery and his staff will rightly face the brunt of fans anger.  Blame PSR all you want, but constant talk of selling all of our players and then selling below market value is a completely short-sighted policy.

[eye digress]

They've got Mamardashvili coming in - who I'll admit, looks like a proper player. Wonder what will happen to Alisson?

Thought Kepa looked very good last week.

[cdbearsfan]

Would Kepa be an option?

[frank black]

Normally I’d be confident that we can use the cash to improve the team .

This time I’m confident we won’t

What makes you say that?

I assume because we'd almost certainly be downgrading our goalkeeper whoever we bring in, rather than any aspersions cast at our recruitment people.

Exactly this. If we sold any player other than a keeper, we could replace them and or shuffle the pack. When you’ve got Robin Olsen as a definite number two ( in more ways than one). We’ve basically got to go out and buy a world class player, who will be so from the off… a very tough ask (unless we qualify for champions league perhaps)

[eye digress]

Would Kepa be an option?

As in, is he gettable? On loan at Bournemouth, isn't he?

[cdbearsfan]

Oh I thought he was their player.