Juventus’ new CEO Giovanni Carnevali and chief football officer Frederic Massara met with representatives of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on Saturday to assess the potential costs of a transfer and explore the possibility of persuading Aston Villa to lower their asking price. The meeting represents an initial step for the new Juventus leadership as they seek to identify potential reinforcements under manager Luciano Spalletti.
Carnevali acknowledged that the primary obstacle to a deal is the valuation placed on Martinez by Aston Villa. He stated that the club must wait and observe the situation, as they are interested but not alone in pursuing the player, and that some players have valuations that are too high. Martinez reportedly agreed to a preliminary three-year contract with Juventus last summer, worth €5 million per year plus bonuses, a reduction from his current €7 million salary at Aston Villa, signalling his willingness to move.
Aston Villa, however, are holding firm, reportedly demanding a transfer fee of at least €10 million for the 34-year-old, whose contract with the club runs until 2029. Juventus consider this fee excessive for a player of Martinez’s age, despite his proven track record and charisma. The club view Martinez as their preferred option following the breakdown of potential negotiations for Alisson Becker. During the meeting, Carnevali and Massara requested that Martinez’s representatives attempt to persuade Aston Villa to accept a lower fee.
Juventus are also considering alternative goalkeeping options, including Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham, Filip Milinkovic-Savic of Napoli, and Simone Suzuki of Parma. These alternatives may have lower transfer fees, but could demand higher wages, impacting the club’s overall financial balance. However, Juventus are prioritizing a direct approach with Martinez before shifting their focus to other targets. The club intends to hold face-to-face talks with the Argentinian international.
