Sources: Tottenham doing background checks on lifestyle of Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez
Tottenham have a strong interest in Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez, sources have told Football Insider.
The Argentina World Cup winner’s future in the Midlands is in doubt amid continued friction with boss Unai Emery as well as his desire to play for a Champions League club.
Tottenham have been doing background checks on Martinez to assess his skill-set, character and lifestyle as they run the rule over potential Hugo Lloris replacements.
The longstanding Spurs skipper, 36, has another year on his contract after this season but has had a poor season and is currently out with a long-term injury.
The door seemingly closed on one potential replacement for Lloris when Jordan Pickford agreed a new Everton contract on Thursday.
Martinez is highly rated by Tottenham’s recruitment team and they have been watching him closely during his two-and-a-half seasons at Villa, where he has flourished into one of the best keepers in the Premier League.
Spurs staff have what is said to be a “concrete” interest in the former Arsenal man and they have been further impressed by the elite mentality he demonstrated as Argentina won the World Cup in remarkable circumstances.
Martinez has made a big impact at Villa since signing in the summer of 2020 for an initial £17million rising to £20million.
He has been linked with Bayern Munich as they target a replacement for injured star Manuel Neuer.
Football Insider first revealed before the World Cup (28 November) that the goalkeeper has a poor relationship with Emery and updated earlier this week that there has been little improvement with a personality clash at the heart of the discord.
Martinez was strongly criticised by Emery for his decision to go up front for a last-minute corner against Arsenal last weekend, which resulted in the visitors scoring on the counter-attack to seal a 4-2 win.
In other news, Kieran Maguire: Tottenham to reap dividends from £1.6bn “bidding war”.