Emi Martinez Says He Made Right Choice After Near Man United Move
emi martinez says he has no regrets about staying at Aston Villa after coming close to leaving last summer, when Manchester United wanted to sign him. The goalkeeper now heads into the 2026 Europa League final saying the decision to stay was the right one, with Villa one game from a European crown and their first trophy in 30 years.
Martinez Stands By Villa Stay
Martinez did not hedge. He said he had a commitment with Aston Villa and pointed to what he has built there since arriving: a World Cup winner, two Golden Gloves and a place in a side on the brink of another major final. “I’m really proud to stay. I made the right choice.”
He also put the move in plain terms. “Sometimes football can change, managers can come in and go,” Martinez said. “People move around the place, but it doesn’t mean that I (don’t) have full respect and love for the club.” That leaves the summer interest from Manchester United as a near-miss, not a transfer saga that ended with a deal.
United Shifted Goalkeepers
The contrast with Manchester United is sharp. United never made an official offer for Martinez, and the club later changed its goalkeeper department at the start of the 2025/26 season. Andre Onana was stripped of his responsibilities as first-choice goalkeeper, and Senne Lammens joined from Royal Antwerp.
That sequence puts Martinez’s decision in a different light. While United moved on to other options, he stayed in Birmingham and has remained central to Aston Villa’s run to the 2026 Europa League final.
Villa Chase European Glory
Aston Villa face Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday night, with Martinez one game away from being crowned a European champion. Unai Emery, who has won the Europa League four times, has Villa positioned for a shot at a first trophy in 30 years.
Martinez framed the moment around the group around him, not the transfer noise. “One day I am going to retire and somebody else will be between the sticks. I’m in a European final, we are in Champions League again, with all the ups and downs,” he said. “We’ve got a top coach, we’ve got a top captain, we have a decent core of the team and when we stick together and fight together, we can beat anybody.”
