Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez is expected to leave Aston Villa. His emotional reaction during last Friday’s home game against Tottenham—his last match at Villa Park this season—made it clear. While nothing has been officially confirmed about his future, several clubs are reportedly in the race to sign the Argentine goalkeeper. Meanwhile, the English side has already started looking for his replacement.
The first name to come up was Joan García, a 24-year-old currently playing for Espanyol in Barcelona. However, García had been on Villa’s radar even if Martínez stayed, as the club is also preparing for the likely departure of backup goalkeeper Robin Olsen, who’s close to joining Malmö in Sweden.
Because of that, manager Unai Emery has already suggested a new candidate, also from Spain’s La Liga. According to AS, the top target now is Álex Remiro, a 30-year-old who plays for Real Sociedad and has been part of the Spanish national team squad for both the Euros and Nations League.
Remiro has had strong performances in San Sebastián and has earned two caps under Luis de la Fuente. His debut came in a friendly against Colombia in March of last year, and he appeared again in November in a Nations League match against Switzerland.
Remiro is under contract with Real Sociedad until 2027 and has a hefty release clause for a goalkeeper—€70 million—which in the past has been enough to scare off interest from Premier League clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea.
Where will Dibu Martínez play next?
After what looked like a farewell at Villa Park, Dibu Martínez is waiting for the season to end before carefully evaluating the offers on the table. According to journalist Gastón Edul, the Argentina international currently has three concrete proposals.
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Financially, the most lucrative offer comes from Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is believed to be involved in talks. However, Martínez is expected to prioritize staying in Europe for sporting reasons, knowing the 2026 World Cup is just around the corner.
As of now, two major European clubs have shown strong interest, though their names have yet to be revealed.
