December 16th 2024.
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has recently faced criticism for his decision to sell one of the top players in the Premier League. Despite not winning the Premier League title, it's difficult to deny that Arteta has been successful at Arsenal. In his first season back at the club, he led them to victory in the FA Cup and has transformed them into consistent title contenders, earning over 80 points in the Premier League. If it weren't for Pep Guardiola's record-breaking Manchester City team, Arteta may have already had a few league titles under his belt.
One of Arteta's accomplishments that has been praised is changing the culture at the Emirates Stadium. He has gotten rid of negative influences in the dressing room and focused on signing players who align with his and the club's philosophy. However, not all of Arteta's transfer decisions have been successful. He has been told that he let go of one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, Emiliano Martinez.
Martinez spent almost ten years at Arsenal but only made 38 appearances for the first team. He was loaned out to six different clubs before being sold to Aston Villa in 2020. Since then, the 32-year-old has helped Villa qualify for the Champions League and played a crucial role in Argentina's World Cup victory in Qatar. Even Premier League icon Jussi Jaaskelainen rates Martinez as one of the top two goalkeepers in the English top-flight, alongside Liverpool's Alisson Becker.
"It's difficult for me to choose the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, so I'll have to narrow it down to two," said Jaaskelainen, the former goalkeeper for Bolton, West Ham, and Wigan, in an interview with Ladbrokes. "Firstly, Alisson. I'm a big fan of his. He may not seem very quick or special, but his movement is unbelievable and he makes incredible saves. The other one for me is Emi Martinez from Aston Villa. He's been outstanding, and I can't believe how successful the move has been for him, leaving Arsenal for Villa."
Jaaskelainen continued to praise Martinez, highlighting his physical attributes and overall skills as a goalkeeper. He also believes that Martinez is a great role model for young footballers, as he had to work hard and go on loan to various clubs before getting his big break at Aston Villa. Jaaskelainen believes that playing senior football is crucial for young goalkeepers, and Martinez's journey is an excellent example of this.
When Martinez was sold, Bernd Leno was Arsenal's number one goalkeeper, but Arteta later signed Aaron Ramsdale to replace him and David Raya to replace Leno. Despite these changes, Arsenal recently drew 0-0 with Everton, remaining in third place in the Premier League, six points behind the leaders, Liverpool.
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