What convinced Emiliano Martínez to sign for Aston Villa

Emiliano Martínez’s departure at Arsenal has been met with both well-wishes and bemusement – many Gunners fans and former players believed he earned the right to keep the gloves ahead of the new Premier League season.
After a decade in the shadow of preferred number one?s, Wojciech Szczesny, David Ospina, Petr Cech and more recently Bernd Leno, it wasn?t until Project Restart that the Argentine was handed the opportunity to stake his claim.
Martínez left Club Atlético Independiente for London in 2010, and up until his departure this summer he?d registered 39 first-team appearances for Arsenal, as well as spending time on loan at six clubs ? Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Wolves, Getafe and Reading.
So when Leno left the Amex Stadium on a stretcher in June, Martínez?s overdue audition for the number one jersey was a timely coincidence for the 6’2″ ?keeper who?d used a full-size goal in his back garden to keep on his toes during the lockdown period.
It was more a mental, psychological game than anything else for Martínez having spent the duration of his Arsenal career second or even third choice – but he wasn?t going to let this opportunity pass.
He took it with both hands, and not only would he hold onto the gloves, he?d be raising aloft the FA Cup and Community Shield come the end of the 2019-20 season after some sublime performances against Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
?I?ve been at Arsenal 10, 11 years fighting for my spot. When I won the FA Cup and the Community Shield, I spoke to my family and said ?it?s time to have a new challenge?,? Martínez told arsenal.com. ?When Aston Villa gave me the opportunity to fight for the spot and play loads of Premier League games and that?s why I decided to come here.?
With no shortage of potential suiters, the lure of playing for Aston Villa, for many reasons persuaded Martínez to leave the Emirates after a decade without regular football.
Villa’s goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler played a leading role in taking Martínez away from Arsenal for a fee worth up to £22m.
?I did my research first,? Martínez told Villa TV.
?I spoke to many goalkeepers that I know and they only told me good things about him. When I spoke to him, he told me the way he works and how he wants me to improve my game. I truly believe his words, that’s why I’m here.
?Tom (Heaton) has been in the Premier League for so many years, Jed Steer, (Lovre) Kalinic – I played against him in the Championship. They are all good goalies, all professional, so I will try to settle in and have fun in training.?
Martínez joins Tom Heaton, Jed Steer, Orjan Nyland and Lovre Kalinic to become the fifth senior goalkeeper at Bodymoor Heath.
Neil Cutler crucial to Martínez joining Villa
Cutler joined Villa with a track record of improving goalkeepers he?d worked with at Walsall and West Bromwich Albion.
At Walsall, he nurtured a young Neil Etheridge, who played in the Premier League with Car...