Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, World Cup champion with the Argentina national team, was very close to making a historic leap in the Premier League by joining Manchester United. However, the move never materialized, and the keeper will continue defending the Aston Villa goal, where he has become an absolute idol.

The explanation as to why the transfer collapsed came from his brother, Alejandro Martínez, who revealed that the Birmingham club’s refusal was key to blocking the deal.

The Martínez family’s version

In an interview with DSports Radio, Alejandro said: “They told me Emi gave so much as a professional and as a person. They adore him at the club, and it shows on the pitch. The directors didn’t want to sell him because he’s the most important player in the team. It was a commercial decision.”

This made it clear that the choice was not about sporting reasons or issues with manager Unai Emery, but rather the stance of the Aston Villa board, who considered the goalkeeper untouchable in the last transfer window.

His brother even compared him to historic figures: “At Villa, he’s like Diego at Napoli. He gave so much to the club, just like Kun Agüero at City or Messi at Barça. These are legendary players, and it will be difficult to surpass what Emi has achieved with this team.”

An idol retained at Aston Villa

Manchester United had placed him high on their priority list to reinforce the goal after last season, and the Argentine had even bid farewell to the Villans fans in a gesture that seemed to anticipate his departure. However, negotiations never progressed, and the goalkeeper remains under contract until 2029.

Martínez’s father, Alberto, also gave his perspective: “This is a job, a factory with employees. If an employee is good, the factory won’t let him go. It’s all business. Tomorrow it might happen, but today it didn’t.”

For now, the World Cup winner in Qatar 2022 will continue to be the main reference for Aston Villa, both in the Premier League and the Europa League. His leadership, charisma, and decisive saves have turned him into an irreplaceable figure for the Birmingham side.

Although the dream of wearing the Manchester United shirt has been put on hold, Dibu Martínez’s prestige remains intact. And at 33, he still has room to aim for a top-level transfer in the future. In the meantime, he will continue writing his legend at Villa Park, where he is regarded as the true guardian of the goal.