Manchester United are now preparing a £33m offer for a “world-class” star, who is very keen on moving to Old Trafford this summer, according to a report.
Man Utd struggling to get signings through the door
Man United got off to a fast start in the summer transfer window, securing the arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but they have since struggled to get deals for their priority targets over the line.
The Red Devils have been particularly keen to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, but they are yet to agree a fee with their Premier League rivals, with reporter Laurie Whitwell revealing the asking price may have now increased.
It cannot be understated how important it is to sign a new forward, with Rasmus Hojlund netting just four Premier League goals last season, but Ruben Amorim also has a real desire to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.
Andre Onana has been subjected to heavy criticism throughout his time at Old Trafford, and Man United have now set their sights on a replacement, with an opening offer of around £33m in the works for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
That is according to a report from La Nacion (via Sport Witness), which states Martinez is very keen on leaving Villa for United, as he believes he would be taking a big step in his career, despite European football not being on offer next season.
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However, the two clubs may be a little way apart in their valuation of the Argentinian as things stand, with Villa setting a £40m asking price.
"World-class" Martinez could be huge Onana upgrade
The 32-year-old has established himself as an elite goalkeeper during his time with Villa, most memorably impressing at the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, and he has been lauded as “world-class” by United legend Gary Neville.
Not only that, but there are clear signs the Villa star could be a massive upgrade on Onana, given that he has outperformed the Cameroonian across a number of key goalkeeping metrics per 90 over the past year.
Statistic
Andre Onana
Emiliano Martinez
Goals against
1.32
1.20
Save percentage
68.9%
72.1%
Clean sheet percentage
23.4%
28.3%
The former Arsenal man also won the Premier League Save of the Season award for a remarkable stop against Nottingham Forest.
Martinez is clearly a top-level goalkeeper, but Man United should be cautious about paying £40m for a player who is set to turn 33 later this year.