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Manchester United are keeping close tabs on former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez amidst doubts over David de Gea's future with the Red Devils, according to Football Insider.
Manchester United signed David de Gea from La Liga club Atletico Madrid for £22.5 million in 2011. The Spaniard has since been a key player for them, making 495 appearances across all competitions.
However, there are doubts about the goalkeeper's long-term future at Old Trafford. He has his contract with the Red Devils expiring at the end of the season and could soon be on his way out of the club.
The Premier League giants notably have the option to extend De Gea's stay by another 12 months. However, they are still considering whether or not to trigger the clause, according to reports.
De Gea was at fault for two goals as Brentford handed Manchester United a 4-0 beating at the start of the season. The Old Trafford outfit now appear to be tempted to bring in a new number 1.
Aston Villa custodian Emiliano Martinez has thus emerged as a target for the Red Devils, according to the aforementioned source. Erik ten Hag's side view him as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.
Miliano has been an integral part of Villa's squad since joining them from Arsenal in 2020. He has made 83 appearances across all competitions for the Birmingham outfit, keeping 27 clean sheets in the process.
It now remains to be seen if Manchester United can convince Villa to sell him should they step up their interest in him. Martinez notably signed a new deal with the club in January.
The Argentina international is now contracted to the Villans until the end of the 2026-27 season. He is now valued at around £45 million, according to the report.
How did Manchester United target Martinez fare for Arsenal?
Martinez was on Arsenal's books for 10 years before joining Villa in the summer of 2020. He initially joined the Gunners' reserves side from Argentinian club Independiente in 2010.
However, the 30-year-old spent most of his time with Arsenal as a backup goalkeeper. He made just 38 appearances across all competitions during spell at the Emirates Stadium.
Martinez, though, impressed for Arsenal in Bernd Leno's absence in his last season at the club. He played 23 games in 2019-20 and helped the team keep nine clean sheets in total.
The shot-stopper's performances for the Gunners that season saw him attract interest from Villa. The Birmingham outfit then forked out an initial sum of £17 million to acquire his services.
