Emiliano Martinez, the Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper, is reportedly on the verge of a major transfer to Juventus after reaching a verbal understanding with the Italian club. The World Cup-winning shot-stopper is prepared to take a considerable salary reduction to move from the Premier League to Serie A this summer.

Martinez and Juventus reach preliminary agreement

Juventus have taken a key step in their search for a new first-choice goalkeeper by securing a preliminary agreement with Martinez. The Argentine international has made his willingness to join the Turin-based side clear, viewing the Bianconeri as the perfect destination to continue his impressive career.

As reported by Sky Italia, Martinez has given his consent to a three-year contract running until 2029, showing a strong desire to don the famous black-and-white jersey. In order to push the move through, the player — affectionately known as "Dibu" — has expressed readiness to accept a pay cut from his current Premier League wages.

Financial details and Aston Villa’s position

The verbal agreement between Martinez and Juventus is believed to include a net annual salary of around €5.5 million, which is lower than the €7 million he reportedly earns at Villa Park. Martinez is said to regard Juventus as the ideal next chapter in his career, especially after guiding Aston Villa to Europa League glory.

However, Aston Villa’s stance remains a significant obstacle. Although Martinez has given his approval to the move, the clubs have yet to finalise the transfer fee. Juventus are looking to complete the signing on favourable terms given the goalkeeper’s age of 33, but Villa are unlikely to sanction his exit without fair compensation. Current reports indicate that Villa could demand close to €15 million to allow the transfer.

Luciano Spalletti’s transfer vision

The move for Martinez reportedly stems from a specific request by Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti. After a challenging defensive campaign, Spalletti is eager to add a world-class, experienced goalkeeper to strengthen his backline.

Juventus had initially considered pursuing Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, but the Premier League club’s refusal to negotiate forced the Italian side to turn their full attention to Martinez. The Argentine has been a pivotal figure in his country’s recent triumphs in both the FIFA World Cup and Copa America, and his leadership could be instrumental in helping Juventus return to the top tier of Italian and European football.

Backup options under consideration

If talks between Juventus and Aston Villa become overly complicated due to financial disagreements, the Turin club already have backup options in mind. Determined not to be left without a reliable goalkeeper for another season, Juventus are closely monitoring several alternatives across Europe. The coming weeks will be decisive in determining whether an agreement can be reached, paving the way for Martinez to officially become Juventus’s new number one.