Juventus are playing their usual game. The Italian giants want Emiliano Martinez, but they want him at a low price. According to Tuttosport, the Turin club spent the first half of June scouting Aston Villa's world champion goalkeeper. They even managed to convince the player to consider a move, to the point where his agent is facilitating talks between the two clubs. Martinez is willing to take a pay cut to close the deal.
The first proposal arrived and it is, in fact, laughable: €5 million. It's a classic and cynical Old Lady move: offering a low value initially, establishing a minimum level and trying to drag the selling club into an agreement below what would be acceptable. Aston Villa, unsurprisingly, are having none of it. Unai Emery's side have priced their number one at €15 million. They want fair value, not chump change.
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The Italians are insinuating that Villa's demands are completely unrealistic, trying to force a discount. At the moment, a real impasse is occurring. Juventus wants an advantageous deal, while Villa demands respect. Trading is completely stopped. Accepting €5 million for Emi Martinez would be truly crazy. Yes, he is in his thirties. No, he doesn't have age on his side. But let's look at the bigger picture. Since his heroic displays in Qatar, the Argentine has become one of the most recognizable and respected goalkeepers in world football. He shines on the big stage and is an expert at winning penalties by getting into opponents' heads. It's not easy to replace that kind of mental toughness.
Younger, inexperienced goalkeepers with half his CV are sold for prices twice what Villa are currently asking. Aston Villa cannot look like a club that gets carried away. Champions League football demands elite characters, and selling a global icon for a paltry sum sends a terrible message to the dressing room. Villa's management spent years building a squad to upset the Premier League establishment. They are no longer a selling club that lives precariously. If Juventus wants a world-class operator, they need to pay the market price. Just like that. Until the Italians find some extra money, Villa hold all the cards in this negotiation.