A week before the opening of the special transfer market for the Club World Cup, Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez is pressuring his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find him a team this summer. The Argentine goalkeeper, taking advantage of the 'summit' between the Portuguese agent and Joan Laporta, landed in Barcelona to meet with his representative and spend a few days on vacation.

Although 'Dibu' has a contract with Aston Villa until 2029, the Mar del Plata native made it clear to the club his intention to leave at the end of 24/25, a season where the Birmingham team, although they reached the Champions League quarter-finals, closed the season with a defeat that left them out of the next Champions League.

In the defeat against Manchester United (1-0), Martínez was sent off in the first half of what was probably his last match with the 'villains' shirt. The 32-year-old goalkeeper has been mentioned as a possible reinforcement for FC Barcelona, but for the moment the Azulgrana board seems to be leaning towards signing Joan García (Espanyol).

Could Barça sign 'Dibu' Martínez this summer?

Although Barça plans to incorporate another goalkeeper before the imminent departure of Iñaki Peña, the club's idea is to sign a young goalkeeper, understanding that Wojciech Szczesny (35) will only renew for one more year and Ter Stegen (33), beyond having a contract until 2028, has a worrying history of injuries.

In that sense, even if the Joan García operation does not materialize, 'Dibu' Martínez does not seem to be the ideal bet for the club in the medium and long term. The 32-year-old goalkeeper prioritizes joining a big club, but where he has a guaranteed starting position. In Barcelona, with Marc-André and 'Tek' at their best, the Argentine would probably be a substitute.

In 24/25, 'Dibu' conceded 45 goals in 37 matches with Aston Villa, adding 9 clean sheets. Szczesny, on the other hand, kept his goal undefeated in 30 appearances in which he received 36 goals. The Argentine's termination clause is 30 million euros, a similar price to what the Espanyol goalkeeper's transfer would cost.

Recently, Martínez received a couple of offers to go to Arabia, but the 2022 world champion prioritizes staying in Europe. The goalkeeper arrived at Aston Villa in 2020 after a decade at Arsenal, where he was never able to earn a starting position. In 17/18 he played on loan at Getafe, playing just 6 official matches in which he conceded 9 goals.