Manchester United looks to overhaul their current squad going into next season as talks for Andre Onana’s replacement take center stage at Old Trafford.
Following the signing of their first player in what promises to be a busy summer, Softfootball gathered that United are now turning their focus to offloading squad members deemed surplus to requirements. The goal is to raise funds to pursue key transfer targets.
Manchester United are reportedly planning to step up their interest in Emiliano Martinez by holding ‘formal talks’ with the Aston Villa number one.
The Red Devils are believed to have identified the Argentina international as a top pick to succeed the error-prone Andre Onana, whose future at Old Trafford is already being called into question.
The Cameroon international is determined to stay and make a name for himself in Manchester, but Ruben Amorim feels differently and is scoping out alternatives ahead of the 2025-26 season. One such option is Martinez, who is still contracted to Aston Villa for another four years but appears destined to leave the Lions in the summer window amid links with clubs both in Europe and abroad.
According to Football Insider, Man United will now ramp up their efforts to win the race for the World Cup winner and intend to hold official talks with both Martinez’s camp and Aston Villa in the hope of striking a deal.
Mick Brown, the club’s former chief scout, told the publication:
“Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.
“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving.
“If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.
“The only issue as things stand is that they need to move Onana away before they go for Martinez because they don’t want to end up with both on the books.
“They’re waiting for a bid to arrive so that they can accelerate things and start speaking to Villa. For now, it’s just what they would like to do, not something they’re able to do.”
Chelsea were also rumoured to have taken an interest in Martinez, but journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that the ex-Arsenal shot-stopper is not one of the Blues’ goalkeeping targets for the current window.
🚨🇦🇷 Chelsea are not among clubs in active talks to sign Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez this summer.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 27, 2025
No approach or talks as Chelsea respect Martínez but their focus is on different positions. pic.twitter.com/hYpjPh9Z2X
Although Martínez has publicly stated his intention to remain at Aston Villa, he also hasn’t ruled out a move away from Villa Park this summer.
With the club under pressure to sell players in order to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules after missing out on Champions League qualification, a transfer remains a possibility.
Recall, Softfootball reported that Manchester United has identified Andriy Lunin as backup plan if Emiliano Martinez deal fails. For United to make a move for the 32-year-old goalkeeper, however, they would likely need to part ways with Onana.
Given United’s current financial constraints, though, spending an estimated £40 million on Martínez may not be the wisest allocation of resources. The squad has more urgent needs, particularly in attack, where United managed just 36 goals across all competitions last season.
