Agent of ‘phenomenal’ Arsenal player says he’ll ‘most likely’ leave the club

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The representative of Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has claimed that his client will “most likely” leave the Emirates Stadium as he seeks to become Argentina’s no. 1.

The 28-year-old, who joined Arsenal’s academy in 2010 from Independiente and broke into the first team two years later, has made 38 competitive appearances for the North Londoners.

Martinez, who has spent most of his Arsenal career as a deputy, excelled in the absence of first-choice Bernd Leno at the tail end of last season and in the Community Shield at the start of 2020-21.

However, speculation about the Argentine’s future increased in wake of comments he made to Radio Continental in his home country last month.

“I showed that I can play, I need to play more games next season,” he said. “I want to establish myself at Arsenal and become first choice.

“If I don’t play, I’m going to move, I’m going to go where I play more.”

On Friday, the likes of The Telegraph and The Guardian reported that Martinez was not in Mikel Arteta’s matchday squad for the Premier League opener at Fulham.

The former claimed Aston Villa were closing in on a deal for the stopper, while the latter reported that Brighton had entered the race for the £20million-rated ace.

Also on Friday, Gustavo Goni was quoted by Argentine outlet TyC Sports as saying: “Most likely, Emiliano Martinez will leave Arsenal because he wants to save.

“He dreams of being the starting goalkeeper of the national team. He is willing to leave his current home for a more noble dream to be the goalkeeper of Argentina.”

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Speculation on Martinez’s future has reached fever pitch and if, as widely reported, he’s not in the squad come 11:30am today, then that will all but confirm that he’s on his way out of North London.

Martinez – who Arteta described as “phenomenal” in July – has made it clear that he will not settle for an extended place on the Arsenal bench any longer.

Even though he has impressed this summer, Leno remains in his way, and it’s understandable that, after a decade with the Gunners, he’s now got the hunger for first-team football and is after a club that can pretty much guarantee him minutes.