Inside Story: How Emiliano Martínez's Blockbuster Man Utd Transfer Collapsed on Deadline Day

Alejandro Martínez, brother of Emiliano Martínez, has revealed that Aston Villa blocked a potential departure for the Argentine shot-stopper, comparing his significance to the club with that of Diego Maradona at Napoli and Lionel Messi at Barcelona.

The goalkeeper had been expected to leave Villa Park throughout the summer following what appeared to be an emotional farewell to supporters at the conclusion of the previous campaign. Early summer speculation linked him with Barcelona, though no firm offers materialized until Manchester United's late-window approach.

The Old Trafford club reportedly pursued the World Cup champion after manager Ruben Amorim lost confidence in both André Onana and Altay Bayındır. United were simultaneously working on securing Senne Lammens, but Villa—anxious about losing Martínez—presented Royal Antwerp with a superior financial proposal for the young Belgian keeper.

Ultimately, United secured Lammens while Martínez stayed in the Midlands. Amorim's team allegedly reached personal agreement with the Argentine, but Villa's unwillingness to part with their first-choice goalkeeper reportedly prevented his transfer to Old Trafford.

"I was informed that Emi contributed immensely both professionally and personally, they adore him, and this was evident on the field. He is beloved, and the board refused to sell him because he represents the cornerstone of the squad, and another club wanted him. It was that business disagreement," Alejandro Martínez revealed to DSports Radio.

Speculation emerged regarding tension between Villa boss Unai Emery and his number one goalkeeper. The Spanish manager didn't help matters when he responded to every Martínez-related question by mentioning Villa's backup keeper Marco Bizot during a tense pre-game interview. Nevertheless, Alejandro quickly refuted these suggestions.

"These are choices made by club executives," he clarified. "It didn't materialize, but it's like any other business matter. The football aspect was set aside, and everything is resolved. Emi never clashed with Unai; it was entirely under management's jurisdiction, and the clubs failed to reach agreement.

"At Aston Villa, he's the Diego [Maradona] of Napoli. He contributed enormously at Villa, like Kun [Sergio Agüero] did at [Manchester] City, like Leo [Messi] did at Barça. They're iconic players, and it will be difficult to exceed what he accomplished at Aston Villa."