Emi Martinez is hoping to challenge Petr Cech’s to be Arsenal’s number one keeper after he returns from his loan at Getafe.

The Argentine keeper has been sent to La Liga side Getafe on a season-long loan. Martinez has been at Arsenal for five years, and has had short loan spells in the English lower leagues with the likes of Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves.

He’s featured in the EFL Cup and FA Cup for Arsenal but finds himself behind David Ospina and Petr Cech in the pecking order. Martinez will gain valuable experience on loan in the Spanish top flight and now hopes to impress at Getafe so he can come back and fight Cech for a starting place.

“I’ve always wanted to improve,” Martinez told Arsenal Player. “It’s never enough for me. My kicking is good but I want to have the perfection of a goalkeeper, even on crosses. I know I’m good on crosses but I still do 50 crosses in training. 

“Gerry [Peyton] says, ‘Last one’, and I will do three more. I look what I can do and what I can improve with the other goalkeepers. I’m always trying to improve myself. If you want to play for Arsenal or be at the top level for many years, that’s what you need to do. 

“It’s in my blood to train hard. When you’re not in the squad and you have to train the day after, sometimes it’s hard because you want to be involved in the team and you want to play. I always tell myself, ‘The chance will come and I won’t let it run’. That’s what keeps me going and motivated all the time.

“I came from nothing and I’m at Arsenal now, one of the biggest clubs in the world, but I’m never satisfied. I was third choice fighting for second spot, so maybe the season after I will fight for No 1. You always need to give more at Arsenal. It’s never enough and that’s what I try to do.”

Getafe were just promoted back to La Liga after a season in the second division. As they’re one of the weaker teams in the league, Martinez could be in for a busy season. Top-flight experience will be invaluable for him, though, and should put him in a good position to beat out Ospina as the club’s second choice, at the very least.

Cech will be 36 by the time Martinez returns to Arsenal, which means there could be an opportunity for Martinez to challenge him.