According to latest reports, Leeds United are understood to be close to signing Arsenal custodian, Emiliano Martinez, before the transfer window shuts down. Leeds United goalkeeper, Andy Lonergan, is expected to join Sunderland on the transfer deadline day as per Express and Martinez has been targeted as his replacement.
Martinez is currently out on loan with La Liga outfit, Getafe, but it is believed that the Gunners are unhappy with how he has been used by them so far this season. The Argentine has been handed merely 3 starts in the league and has been basically kept in their ranks as the second fiddle to Vicente Guiata. Martinez is highly rated by Arsene Wenger and the manager sees him as a long-term replacement for Petr Cech.
Had Guiata left Getafe, as was expected, Martinez could have featured regularly between the sticks as the first choice goalkeeper but given that such a scenario hasn’t blossomed, the north London based club are ready to bring him back to England and ship him out to the Elland Road.
The Whites might have been enduring a troubled patch of form in the Championship lately but it would be a folly to count them out of the race for securing a promotion to the Premier League this early.
However, they do need to have the right personnel in their ranks and given that Lonergan might be lured to the Stadium of Light, Martinez could be an exciting prospect for them. He is a shot-stopper with fine calibre and there is no denying that. The 25-year-old spent loan spells with Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers and thus, has accumulated some notable experience of English football under his belt.
At Arsenal, Wenger has relied on Cech and David Ospina, and thus, it would make very little sense if he stays at the Emirates Stadium for the remainder of this season as he is unlikely to get opportunities to thrive. He does need to play regularly at this stage of his career. Christiansen has preferred to use Felix Wiedwald of late and thus, Martinez must leave no stone unturned to make his presence felt whenever he gets the opportunity if his move to Leeds United materialises tomorrow.