From tears to a return

On May 16, Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez ended the season at Villa Park with an image that sparked all kinds of interpretations: waving to the stands with tears in his eyes. Many saw it as a farewell after four years at the club, more than 200 matches, and a key role in Aston Villa’s return to the Champions League under Unai Emery.

At the same time, the Argentine goalkeeper was collecting titles with the Argentina national team and multiple Best Goalkeeper awards, leading many to believe he would seek a bigger challenge. Aston Villa understood his desire to explore new opportunities — but the expected offer never came.

A transfer market that never took off

The closest approach came from Manchester United, who only proposed a loan deal with a counterpart that didn’t convince Aston Villa. With a contract until 2028, ‘Dibu’ is the highest-paid player in the squad and one of the cornerstones of the project.

From Birmingham, there was never any push for him to leave. On the contrary, the relationship between the goalkeeper, Emery, and the club’s board remains excellent. His strong pre-season performances only reinforced the idea that he’s irreplaceable.

All signs point to him staying

With the Premier League just a week away and no serious moves in the market, it would be a major surprise if ‘Dibu’ were to leave now. What seemed like a farewell in May now looks more like the continuation of a story that still has plenty of chapters to be written at Villa Park.