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, 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.
‘Man United would jump at Martinez, Onana swap’
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.
No approach or talks as Chelsea respect Martínez but their focus is on different positions. pic.twitter.com/hYpjPh9Z2X
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 27, 2025
Following several seasons as Arsenal number two, Martinez finally got his big break towards the end of the 2019-20 season, playing a crucial role in the Gunners’ FA Cup triumph after Bernd Leno’s injury.
The 32-year-old has since kept 70 clean sheets in 212 games for Villa, as well as becoming a World Cup and Copa America winner with Argentina and clinching back-to-back Yashin Trophies.
Other Onana replacements in Manchester United’s target
Brown’s information contradicts previous claims that the Martinez to Man United trail had gone cold, as the Red Devils weigh up a few other options to replace Onana in between the posts.
Lille’s Lucas Chevalier, Porto’s Diogo Costa and Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin are also said to be of interest to Man United, and head coach Amorim is believed to have earmarked one of the three as his top target.
Onana’s backup Altay Bayindir is also facing an increasingly uncertain future at the club, but Man United confirmed on Friday that third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton had signed another one-year contract extension.
Should Manchester United sell Onana or keep him?
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.
For United to make a move for the 32-year-old goalkeeper, however, they would likely need to part ways with Onana. The Cameroonian has previously attracted interest from Saudi clubs and could yet receive offers that would help fund such a transfer.
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.
Despite Onana’s inconsistent performances over two campaigns, addressing the lack of firepower up front should take precedence over replacing the goalkeeper.