For nearly six years, Emiliano Martínez has been the undisputed heartbeat of Aston Villa. From his transformative arrival in 2020 to his legendary World Cup heroics, “Dibu” hasn’t just guarded the net at Villa Park he has defined the club’s ambitious new era.
However, following his emotional “near-farewell” last May and intensified interest from Manchester United and Inter Milan, the Argentine’s tenure in the West Midlands is rapidly approaching its conclusion.
He pushed for a move away from Villa Park, with the Villans weighing up options to replace him. He will likely depart at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, so Villa need to consider who could fill the large hole he would leave.
Manchester United and Atletico Madrid were both heavily interested in signing the Argentinian. The Red Devils opted for Senne Lammens instead, due to his age and low fee. Madrid couldn’t move on Jan Oblak, so never made an official offer.
Villa’s need to reduce their wage bill strengthens the idea that Martinez will need to leave, as his contract makes him the highest earner at the club.
Here are at Read AstonVilla we have identified four potential candidates that could replace him:
1. James Trafford – Manchester City
James Trafford was re-signed by Manchester City last summer for £27 million. The original plan was for him to become the No 1, replacing the long-serving Ederson.
However, Gianluigi Donnarumma was available at a reasonable price, causing City to make a move on him as well. This season, the Italian has been the starting goalkeeper, with Trafford deputising in cup games.
| Competition | Appearances | Clean Sheets |
| Premier League | 3 | 1 |
| Carabao Cup | 6 | 4 |
| FA Cup | 3 | 2 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 7 |
The Englishman may pursue a move away from the Etihad, as promises may have been broken. Giving him the No 1 shirt at Villa and the prospect of Champions League football may entice him.
He’s young, has bags of potential and will be on lower wages than Martinez, which makes him the perfect replacement.
2. Diogo Costa – Porto
There have been consistent links between Diogo Costa and Aston Villa since last year. The 26-year-old is a serial winner at Porto and has a whole heap of experience under his belt.
He joined the club at the age of 11 and has climbed the ranks, establishing himself as the No 1 for the last five years. The Portuguese international recently signed a new contract which runs until 2030; however, his release clause has dropped to €60 million (£51.9 million).
Whilst it’s a steep fee, Villa would be paying for a player that is already on a similar level to Martinez and would slot in seamlessly into Unai Emery’s system. A move to the Premier League would be the next step in his career and a chance to become one of the world’s best goalkeepers is surely on the cards.
3. Andriy Lunin – Real Madrid
A backup at Real Madrid for a several years, Andriy Lunin has proved that he is more than capable of stepping in when needed. Deputising for Thibaut Courtois, the Ukrainian covered the Belgian for the majority of the 2023/24 season, when he tore his ACL.
Lunin played a crucial role in helping Madrid secure the La Liga and Champions League titles. This led him to be nominated for the 2024 Yashin Trophy, which he finished in third place, behind Unai Simon and the winner, Martinez.
Although he signed a new contract in September 2024, keeping him at the Bernabeu until 2030, an opportunity for a starting role at another club must be on his mind Villa could offer him just that. A fee similar to what Martinez could be sold for and his low wages are a good combination, making him an ideal candidate.
4. Elia Caprille – Cagliari
In the last couple of weeks, Elia Caprille has been rumoured to be of interest to Villa for the summer. The 24-year-old has had an interesting career so far joining Leeds United’s academy, when he was 18. After a couple of loan spells to Italian sides in Serie C and B, Caprille left Leeds without making a professional appearance.
A move to Napoli followed in 2023, where he continued to be shipped out on loan. His most recent was at Cagliari, at the start of last year, which earned him a permanent move last summer. He has since remained the starting goalkeeper this season.
There will be questions asked among Villa’s recruitment team as to whether Caprille is at the level needed to compete at the highest level. Perhaps they believe he has the foundation to become an elite goalkeeper, but they cannot get this wrong.
Martinez is a world-class goalkeeper, and he has proved it time and time again in a claret and blue shirt, but his time at Villa Park is coming to an end.
Whilst his shoes will be difficult to fill, Villa has to reduce wages and generate income. At his age and stage of his career, now is the right time for him to move on, and it seems the easiest solution to combating the financial rules.
Replacing Emiliano Martínez is about more than just finding a pair of safe hands; it is about replacing the emotional heartbeat of the Villa dressing room.
Whether the club pivots to a high-ceiling prospect like James Trafford, seeks the ball-playing composure of Diogo Costa, or looks for a proven veteran to steady the transition, the profile of the next No. 1 must align with Unai Emery’s high-line, high-pressure system.
If the right successor is identified now, the post-Martínez era needn’t be a step backward, but rather the next tactical evolution in Villa’s pursuit of consistent Champions League football.
