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Manchester United reignite pursuit of 32-year-old South American ace as deadline draws near

Originally posted on We All Follow United
By Rohit Sarkar | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 9:26 AM ET

Manchester United are ready to make one last push for Emiliano Martinez

Manchester United’s goalkeeping situation has been a cause for concern for many years. The problem gradually deepened since the time of David De Gea, and became even more evident after his departure. André Onana was brought in as a replacement, but his ups and downs have raised further questions. Sometimes he makes brilliant saves, and other times his small mistakes cost the team heavily.

An example of this is his performance against Olympique Lyonnais in the Europa League, where his misses led to both goals and the match ended 2-2. On the other hand, Altay Bayındır also got chances, but his mistakes against Arsenal and Burnley made it clear that a lack of experience and a drop in confidence are further weakening the position.

Transfer window turmoil:

The situation is now so delicate that the club has to make new attempts in the final hours of the transfer market. According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have again contacted Aston Villa for Emiliano Martinez. This is the same goalkeeper who played a key role in Argentina’s victory in the 2022 World Cup and is considered one of the best players in the Premier League with his consistent performance at Villa Park.

However, this attempt is not easy as there are only a few hours left for the transfer window to close. Talks are already going on with Royal Antwerp for Senne Lammens, but there is a possibility of a hindrance in it. In such a situation, United have kept the option open by contacting Martinez’s camp. Villa’s stance is tough because they do not want to lose their number-one goalkeeper without a replacement. Earlier also United had also tried a loan deal, but Villa turned it down and made it clear that if the deal happens, it will only be on a permanent transfer.

Opinion:

Signing the Argentine at this time is almost impossible. Aston Villa consider him to be their backbone, and he recently signed a new contract until 2029. Selling the 32-year-old at this point would mean Villa are leaving themselves without a plan, which is unacceptable to the club at any cost. Yes, Martinez’s stature and experience are undeniable, but United need to be practical.

On August 29, we reported that talks with Senne Lammens had progressed significantly, and that the deal should now be the club’s priority. Lammens is young, has room for improvement in the future and can grow with the team for a long time. Villa’s demands are difficult to meet, while trusting Lammens is an investment.

United need stability as well as an immediate solution in the goalkeeping position. Onana and Bayındır’s mistakes have already cost them points. The win against Burnley was a relief for Amorim, and Bryan Mbeumo also made a statement in his support, but the season is long and winning consistently requires a reliable goalkeeper in the backline. In our opinion, Lammens is the name that can bring that stability for years to come, and United should not miss this opportunity, as he is the feasible solution at this moment, not Martinez.

This article first appeared on We All Follow United and was syndicated with permission.

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