Aston Villa’s £20m Star Eyed By Juventus In Summer Move: Should They Sell Him? | OneFootball

Aston Villa find themselves at a familiar crossroads this summer, with their first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s future once again attracting serious attention from Serie A. According to Corriere dello Sport and Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Juventus have been offered the Argentine shot-stopper on more than one occasion in recent weeks, and the Old Lady are now actively considering a move.

Aston Villa Face Summer Goalkeeper Dilemma As Juventus Want

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed that intermediaries are pushing the deal, lending real weight to what might otherwise seem like idle speculation. Aston Villa are valued at around €20 million, a fee that sits within Juventus‘ tight financial parameters following their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Juventus originally chased Liverpool’s Alisson Becker hard, but with Liverpool unwilling to sanction a sale and even triggering a contract extension to underline that position, the Italian giants shifted focus. Sky Italy’s Gianluca Di Marzio reported that the Argentine carries exactly the kind of winning mentality and commanding personality that Juve’s new project demands.

Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario remains an alternative option, with Inter Milan having already stepped away from that trail, though it is the Villa man who has been presented to Turin most persistently. The 33-year-old’s deal at Villa Park runs until 2029, meaning any club stepping forward must stump up a genuine transfer fee rather than benefit from a contract situation.

His week-old contract length, however, cuts both ways. The Argentine is reportedly earning around £230,000 per week. Villa would arguably benefit from removing those wages from their books, particularly as UEFA’s Squad Cost Rules continue to press the club financially. Should Juventus firm up their interest, Villa have already begun planning their response, with Manchester City’s James Trafford and Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen identified as potential replacements.

Should Aston Villa Cash In Or Keep Their No.1?

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – MAY 20: Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa celebrates with his winners medal following the team’s victory in the UEFA Europa League Final 2026 match between SC Freiburg and Aston Villa FC at Besiktas Park on May 20, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

This is where the story gets genuinely complicated for Aston Villa supporters, and the answer is not as clean as either side of the argument would suggest. The goalkeeper won them the Europa League just weeks ago, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 final victory over Freiburg. He has made 256 appearances for the club across six seasons and has been one of the most reliable and influential figures at Villa Park since arriving from Arsenal in 2020. Letting that go feels brutal.

But football clubs that ignore financial reality tend to pay a heavier price than those that act decisively. Aston Villa are returning to the Champions League next season and need to build a squad capable of competing across four competitions. Carrying a £230,000-per-week wage for a 33-year-old, however brilliant, represents a meaningful constraint on the club’s ability to reinvest elsewhere. If the goalkeeper genuinely wants a new challenge, keeping him against his will creates its own problems too, ones that played out uncomfortably during last summer’s deadline-day drama.

The smarter move for Aston Villa is to accept a realistic fee, act swiftly in the replacement market, and use the freed-up wages to strengthen positions that will matter more over the next three seasons. Trafford at 23 represents long-term value. The Europa League triumph was the perfect farewell if this is indeed the end of an era. Holding on for sentiment while Champions League group stage preparation begins would be the wrong call.