It’s time for Aston Villa and Manchester United to make a decision on Emi Martínez transfer

Aston Villa and Manchester United need to come to a final decision on the future of Emiliano Martínez before Villa fly out to the United States.

Villa have presumably made their choice. They’ve either decided to sell Martínez, or that they’re willing to sell him, or that they’re not.

If they’re willing to sell a key player with four years left on his contract in order to lower their wage bill, Villa will have a transfer fee and structure in mind that they would accept. They need to apply a deadline too.

There are several weeks left in the summer transfer window and 25 days before the start of the new Premier League season but ongoing speculation is bound to be disruptive.

Villa are preparing to head for the USA, where they’ll face Eintracht Frankfurt in a pre-season friendly in Louisville this weekend. If Martínez is part of the travelling party, that should be that.

If Villa aren’t willing to sell him, the club and the player must now move to kill off the speculation once and for all. If they are open to a sale or even keen on one, they should get it done before it’s allowed to distract from pre-season now the Walsall and Hansa Rostock freebies are out of the way.

Villa hold all the cards. Martínez is tied to the club for long enough to command a fee of Villa’s choosing or to have to stay. They have other players they can choose to sell on if they have indeed made the call to allow a big hitter to leave this summer.

For United to sign Martínez they’ll have to meet Villa’s demands. But, with the goalkeeper reportedly eager or at least willing to go to Old Trafford, the threat of the whole saga dragging towards the start of the season is growing.

Time’s up for Manchester United’s Martínez pursuit

Anything can happen in the transfer window. Every player has his price and United could yet lose the run of themselves and make an irresistible bid.

Regardless, Villa setting a punchy deadline is the only way to maintain the stronger hand. Time passing is their enemy in this situation and the moment is approaching when they have to end the speculation.

Martínez will need a high-quality replacement and every day that goes by comes with a multitude of threats to Villa’s ability to acquire one.

One thing Villa won’t be doing is letting him go to Manchester United on loan.

That the very idea of it has been briefed should be pushing them closer to sitting Martínez down in front of a camera with today’s newspaper and a reluctant smile.

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