Ben Foster says Chelsea and Arsenal have no chance of signing Aston Villa star

Ben Foster believes Chelsea and Arsenal have no chance of signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the summer transfer window. Martinez has become one of the best ‘keepers in the Premier League – and indeed the world – since he left Arsenal to join Villa in a £17m deal in 2020.

With 49 international caps for Argentina, Martinez helped his country win the World Cup three years ago, clinching the Golden Glove in the process. Martinez was handed the Yashin Trophy in 2023 and 2024, an award presented annually by France Football to the best ‘keeper on the planet.

The 32-year-old, who has played 196 games for Villa to date, was also crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper in 2022 and 2024 respectively. There is currently no suggestion that Martinez, under contract at Villa Park until 2029, is looking to depart the Midlands club any time soon.

But former Manchester United ‘keeper Foster has declared that Martinez would not consider a second stint at Arsenal, or a transfer to Chelsea, should either club make a move for him at the end of the current season. Foster feels Martinez would be more likely to join one of the ‘biggest teams in the world’ and would snub possible approaches from Chelsea and Arsenal.

Speaking on his The Cycling GK podcast, Foster said: ‘Without doubt, I think the only teams who’ll get Martinez are the biggest teams in the world. ‘He’s not going to Chelsea. He’s not going to Arsenal. He’ll go to the biggest – you’re talking one of the top two or three clubs in the world.’.

La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are often mooted as two of the biggest football clubs on the planet, along with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and German side Bayern Munich. Foster, though, when pushed if Martinez could join Real Madrid, felt that a move would be unlikely given that they already have Thibaut Courtois in their squad.

‘Thibaut… He’s already one of the best goalkeepers in the world,’ Foster added. Martinez spent a total of 10 years at Arsenal, helping the Gunners land the FA Cup trophy in 2020 before Mikel Arteta sold him to Villa. He only played 38 games for the north Londoners and decided to leave the club because they couldn’t ‘100 per cent guarantee’ him the No.1 spot.

‘I thought if I played well [in the 2020 Community Shield], I would be No.1, but afterwards it still wasn’t clear who was going to start in the league [for the 2020-21 season],’ Martinez told the Independent five years ago about his Arsenal exit.

‘I was told that there was a 95 per cent chance I would start against Fulham [on the first day of the season], but I just thought, “why not 100 per cent?”. Something didn’t feel right. ‘Everyone wanted me to stay, but that’s when I decided to go. I wasn’t upset or emotional, I was proud I did it. When I arrived at Arsenal [in 2010], there were nine goalkeepers in front of me. Every year I had to prove myself, but I left as No.1. That was my story done there.’.

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