Aston Villa have moved to shut down talk of an Emiliano Martinez exit to Juventus, with director of football operations Damian Vidagany insisting the World Cup-winning goalkeeper is staying at Villa Park this summer. Speaking to 365 Scores on Tuesday, Vidagany said the club has “no intention” of letting Martinez leave, ending weeks of speculation that had linked the Argentine with a move to Turin.
The comments arrive at a pointed moment. Martinez is currently on international duty with Argentina, who face England in the World Cup semi-final, and Villa’s stance now gives supporters clarity on one of the summer’s longest-running sagas just as the club’s other business — from Youri Tielemans’ exit to the pursuit of a new midfielder — moves at pace.
It also draws a clear line under a story that has rumbled on since the spring, at times in the background and at times dominating the club’s transfer coverage. Here is everything that has been said, why Juventus were interested in the first place, and what it means for Villa’s summer business from here.
What Did Damian Vidagany Actually Say?
Vidagany did not hedge. “Martinez will stay with us, we have no intention of letting him leave this summer,” he told 365 Scores, before adding: “The team needs his dedication and extensive experience, it is a very important element in our project for next season.” The quotes were relayed by Fabrizio Romano, who confirmed 365 Scores as the original interview, and were picked up widely across the British and Italian press within hours.
It is about as direct a denial as a club can issue without Martinez himself speaking. Villa’s director of football operations going on record, rather than leaving the usual vacuum for speculation to fill, is itself the story — clubs typically only intervene this firmly when they want a saga closed down before pre-season begins in earnest.
Why Had Juventus Been Linked With Martinez In The First Place?
The interest has been simmering since the spring, with Italian reporting suggesting Juventus saw Martinez as a statement addition between the posts. The sticking point was always going to be fee and wages for a 33-year-old goalkeeper entering the final stretch of his career, however decorated it has been.
Villa’s own public stance from earlier this month already gave a strong hint of where this was heading, when the club dismissed reported valuations of around €6m as having no basis. Tuesday’s comments from Vidagany are the logical next step: not just rejecting a number, but rejecting the sale itself.
What Was The Valuation Dispute About?
According to reporting in Italy and the UK, Juventus were unwilling to move beyond a fee in the region of €10m for Martinez — a figure Villa have consistently regarded as short of his value, given his contract length, his standing as Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, and his importance to Unai Emery’s side domestically and in Europe. That gap, rather than any reluctance from the player, is understood to be why the Bianconeri’s interest has stalled.
Goalkeeper valuations have moved sharply across Europe in recent windows, and Villa’s leadership have made clear internally that a fee well short of the market rate for a proven, decorated number one was never going to be entertained — irrespective of who was asking.
Why Keeping Martinez Matters To Emery’s Plans
Unai Emery has built Villa’s defensive structure around a settled back line and a goalkeeper he trusts implicitly with the ball at his feet, and Martinez’s distribution and command of his box have been treated internally as close to non-negotiable for a side that presses and plays out from the back under Emery. Replacing that on short notice, mid-window, was never a realistic option even before Villa’s public denial.
There is also a squad-culture dimension. Martinez has been one of the dressing room’s senior voices since establishing himself as first-choice goalkeeper, and Vidagany’s reference to his “dedication and extensive experience” being “a very important element” for next season reads as an explicit statement that his value to Villa goes beyond his performances between the posts.
| Date | Development | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Early July 2026 | Juventus interest resurfaces amid wider goalkeeper market moves in Serie A | Italian reporting |
| 10 July 2026 | Villa dismiss reported €6m valuation as “laughable” | Read Aston Villa |
| 14 July 2026 | Vidagany: “Martinez will stay with us, we have no intention of letting him leave this summer” | 365 Scores, via Fabrizio Romano |
How Does This Fit Into Villa’s Wider Goalkeeping Plans?
Martinez has been first choice at Villa Park since 2020 and remains contracted for several more years, giving the club no financial pressure to sell. Vidagany’s language — “dedication and extensive experience” — points to a goalkeeper Villa still see as central to the dressing room as well as the team sheet, not simply a name they are reluctantly trying to retain.
It also lands alongside a summer in which Villa have already been active reshaping the squad. The club’s full list of confirmed and expected departures shows several first-team players moving on this window — context that makes Villa’s refusal to even entertain a Martinez sale look like a deliberate line drawn around one position they consider untouchable.
What Has Martinez Said Himself?
Martinez has not addressed the Juventus links directly this week, and is focused instead on Argentina’s World Cup semi-final assignment against England. As Villa’s own coverage of the club’s World Cup contingent has noted, his involvement means Villa are guaranteed representation in the final regardless of which side of the draw progresses. Nothing in his public conduct this summer has suggested a player agitating for a move.
Where Does This Leave Villa’s Summer Business?
With Martinez’s situation now stated as settled by the club itself, attention shifts back to Villa’s other priorities — most immediately the search for midfield reinforcements following Tielemans’ exit to Manchester United. The club’s wider talking points from this window show a squad being actively reshaped in several areas at once, with the goalkeeping department now the one position Villa have publicly ruled out of that process.
For Juventus, Vidagany’s comments amount to a closed door rather than an opening negotiating position. Unless personal terms or a dramatically improved offer change the calculus — and there is no indication either is imminent — Martinez’s near-term future looks to be at Villa Park.
What Happens Next?
Barring a significant change in circumstances, the next milestone in this story is likely to be Martinez’s return to pre-season training once Argentina’s World Cup involvement ends — a return that could come as Villa’s newest champion if the semi-final against England and a potential final go their way. Villa will want their first-choice goalkeeper back for the start of the Premier League season regardless of how far that run goes.
Juventus, for their part, are expected to explore alternative goalkeeping options now that a Villa exit appears closed off, rather than returning with an improved bid for a player the club has stated plainly it does not intend to sell.
Emiliano Martinez To Juventus: Facts
Is Emiliano Martinez leaving Aston Villa for Juventus? No. As of 14 July 2026, Aston Villa director of football operations Damian Vidagany has publicly stated the club has “no intention” of selling Martinez this summer.
What fee were Juventus reportedly offering? Reporting has put Juventus’ valuation at around €10m, a figure Villa are understood to regard as too low, having already rejected earlier reported valuations nearer €6m as unrealistic.
Does Martinez want to leave Villa? There is no public indication that he does. He has not commented on the Juventus links and remains focused on Argentina’s World Cup campaign.
How long is Martinez’s Aston Villa contract? He is contracted at Villa Park for several more seasons, meaning the club is under no financial pressure to sell this summer.
