Juventus are prioritizing the acquisition of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, though a deal is currently stalled and will likely not progress until after the World Cup, according to reports from Tuttosport. The Serie A club are seeking to strengthen their goalkeeping options ahead of next season and have identified the Argentinian international as a key target.
Negotiations with Aston Villa are proving difficult, with the English club initially requesting a €10 million fee for Martínez. However, sources indicate this figure is a temporary holding position, intended to avoid setting a precedent for lower offers from Juventus, who value the player at between €6-7 million based on his accounting value at Villa. A crucial element in unlocking the transfer will depend on Martínez himself, with Juventus hoping he can persuade Aston Villa to lower their demands.
Juventus officials, Carnevali and Massara, met with Vlado Lemic, Martínez’s intermediary, on Wednesday to convey the importance of the player’s involvement in the negotiation process. The club has already reached an agreement with Martínez’s representatives on personal terms – a three-year contract worth €5 million net per season – but securing a deal with Aston Villa remains the primary obstacle. The message to the agent was clear: assist in lowering the asking price by leveraging past promises made to the player.
As a contingency plan, Juventus are also monitoring Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Tottenham are reportedly eager to offload Vicario following the signing of Martin Dubravka, and Juventus are open to a loan deal with an option to buy for a fee between €15-20 million. While manager Luciano Spalletti has some reservations about Vicario’s technical ability, he represents a more straightforward and immediate option should the pursuit of Martínez falter. The club are keen to avoid starting next season with the same goalkeeping setup as the previous campaign.
