Manchester United have agreed personal terms with Emiliano Martinez and are debating whether to go all-out for him or, alternatively, Senne Lammens.
Major developments on Sunday led to the Argentine being left out of Unai Emery’s squad to face Crystal Palace in the evening kick-off amid growing expectations he departs Villa Park one way or another.
United revived their interest in Martinez, having had a loan bid rejected earlier in the window, after Antwerp slightly raised their demands for Lammens over the weekend, prompting the board to see whether a move for Villa’s No.1 was more feasible.
He swiftly green-lit the prospective switch to Old Trafford, leaving the ball in the club’s court to submit a formal approach Villa’s way.
United to use Jadon Sancho as makeweight in Martinez pursuit
The Times adds that the Red Devils may look to sweeten a deal for the goalkeeping veteran by including Jadon Sancho in their proposal.
Despite being made fully aware at the start of the summer that he has no future at United, Sancho has yet to agree a transfer elsewhere, and seems no closer to doing so as we enter the final 12 hours until the deadline.
Work to be done in Martinez/Sancho negotiations
Whether Villa would actually want the 25-year-old, whom Chelsea paid £5 million to avoid signing upon the culmination of his loan spell in June, remains to be seen.
He has less than 12 months left on his terms in M16, meaning United are now at risk of losing a player they forked out £73 million for back in 2021 for nothing next year.
In the meantime, Martinez is actively pushing to join the Reds and pull the curtains on his five-year tenure with the Villans.
