Winter 25-26 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[TaxDodger]

If Martinez has mentally checked out, there is no point keeping him as it will disrupt the club. At 33, we take what we can get and move on. Great keeper but on the decline, arguably due to him being unsettled.

Agree, but at the end of the season, not midway through what could be our most successful season since 1993.

[Mister E]

The “mentally checked out” stuff might be true, but it’s entirely assumptive. He’s made some ropey mistakes, but in the round I think he’s been better than he was last year and made a lot of very good saves.
That’s also not looking at the wider picture - there’s not much left of the transfer window. We’ve got a massive gap in midfield, we still haven’t addressed the gap left by Malen (or at least not really). Losing our first choice keeper as well would be nuts, especially given our hit rate on transfers of late.

Even if there are negotiations going on with Inter, I imagine any deal would be for a summer move. Getting a suitable replacement keeper at any time is difficult; January even more so.

[tomd2103]

If Martinez has mentally checked out, there is no point keeping him as it will disrupt the club. At 33, we take what we can get and move on. Great keeper but on the decline, arguably due to him being unsettled.

Agree, but at the end of the season, not midway through what could be our most successful season since 1993.

Agree.  The summer might be the best time for all parties, but not now.

[ChicagoLion]

If Martinez has mentally checked out, there is no point keeping him as it will disrupt the club. At 33, we take what we can get and move on. Great keeper but on the decline, arguably due to him being unsettled.

Agree, but at the end of the season, not midway through what could be our most successful season since 1993.

Agree.  The summer might be the best time for all parties, but not now.

The only opinion that really matters in these situations is the players.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If Martinez has mentally checked out, there is no point keeping him as it will disrupt the club. At 33, we take what we can get and move on. Great keeper but on the decline, arguably due to him being unsettled.

Agree, but at the end of the season, not midway through what could be our most successful season since 1993.

Agree.  The summer might be the best time for all parties, but not now.

The only opinion that really matters in these situations is the players.

We could learn from Porto who for years have told the player 'you're not leaving this year, we want another season, then you can leave'. Never seems to do any damage to the transfer fee either.

[Ozzjim]

Much like Emery, Martinez will settle down again after the window shuts. He is still one of the best in the league and has made enough saves to be forgiven the mistake last week that other keepers just would not have made.

[LeeS]

The secret with any player, even ones as instrumental as Emi, is to know when to sell. For me, we are in the window. I’d prefer to wait until summer though. A great World Cup will do his value no harm.

[jwarry]

Though I would not buy either of them, Doug and Loftus on loan for half a season can only be a help under the circumstances

[LeeS]

Though I would not buy either of them, Doug and Loftus on loan for half a season can only be a help under the circumstances

I’d take it in desperation. But we know Doug cannot play that DM role. It just didn’t work in 2024.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

I am only interested in players who are 100% committed to Villa's cause. If that means Bizot and A.N.other keeper, even at this stage of the season, then so be it. A keeper with his mind elsewhere and on the upcoming wc is not 100% focussed on the job in hand where Villa is concerned.

[PeterWithe]

It's clear that Emi wants 'a new challenge' and is seeking that out, but its been the way since last summer, and he's still, overall, been fantastic. Let's enjoy him while he's here. I'm sure we are looking out for his replacement when he goes, probably in the summer.

[London Villan]

It's more maximising his personal wealth and playing in a different environment, don't really have a problem with him going to a different league.

End of the season, before the World Cup and get the revenue and his replacement sorted in good time before the start of next season.

[Smithy]

How much would we get for Martínez ?

Around £20M ? In a slow decline and getting flaky injury wise? Never understood the fuss with him as he makes too many daft blunders in amongst his good performances. Inter would be perfect for him, and he'll be gone in the summer.

I think his best days are behind him but 'never understood the fuss with him' as a back-to-back Yashin award winner is a bit wild.

Yep, at his best, he was the best in the world (or the equal of those who were).  And we saw plenty of him at his best with us.  He's kept us in games at times.  Yes, in recent times he's not hit those highs, but in goalkeeping terms, he's certainly not "past it".  At 33, he could easily have another 2 or 3 years at a very high level. 

That said, I don't think it's a coincidence that Liverpool and Man City got rid of Alysson and Ederson, respectively, at 32 and 33.  I guess we'll see if Ederson is 'past it' this evening!

I think if we plan to 'make money' from Emi, this year is probably our last chance to do so.  From the summer onward, I'd think his value will fall precipitously.  That said, I'm not sure January is the time to cash in.  We won't get a replacement of similar standard (and we'd definitely need a replacement), and we have too much to play for in the second half of the season to risk changing such an important first-choice role.

[Smithy]

It's more maximising his personal wealth and playing in a different environment, don't really have a problem with him going to a different league.

End of the season, before the World Cup and get the revenue and his replacement sorted in good time before the start of next season.

There's also the possibility of Argentina having a good World Cup, and his value being maximised this summer...

[Gareth]

The “mentally checked out” stuff might be true, but it’s entirely assumptive. He’s made some ropey mistakes, but in the round I think he’s been better than he was last year and made a lot of very good saves.

That’s also not looking at the wider picture - there’s not much left of the transfer window. We’ve got a massive gap in midfield, we still haven’t addressed the gap left by Malen (or at least not really). Losing our first choice keeper as well would be nuts, especially given our hit rate on transfers of late.

I don’t buy the mentally checked out bit.

I think he and the club were pretty certain he’d leave last summer and I think both were happy with that…I suspect the club had doubts over his long term fitness and he wanted a last big move.

Mistakes all keepers make, we hold him on a pedestal as ‘world number 1’ that any mistakes are magnified.

As we get closer to end of season the injuries concern me, that WC on the horizon and not wanting to miss it.

This summer is the right time to part ways - he has been monumental for us and as for last summer I have absolutely no issue with him, it was clearly mutual to explore a move not just him trying to force his way out.