LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 01: Emiliano Martinez of Arsenal is seen with a Always Forward on their back during the Heads Up FA Cup Final match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Emi Martinez gives Arsenal an ultimatum

Aug 10, 2020

Emi Martinez has made it perfectly clear to Arsenal that if he doesn’t get more playing time next season, he’s off.

Emiliano Martinez, Arsenal goalkeeper, sleeps while hugging the FA Cup

That is the only way I will stay at Arsenal

Arsenal were looking for a new backup goalkeeper before Bernd Leno injured his knee at Brighton and Martinez was handed the number one shirt.

Nobody expected him to perform as well as he did, finishing the season with the best save percentage of any keeper in the Premier League.

Arsenal called off their search for a new keeper and started talking about a new deal for the Argentine they already had.

“I have shown the club that I can play and, when I return next season, I need to have more games,” Martinez reportedly told the Argentine radio station, Continental, according to Monday’s Daily Mail.

“That is the only way I will stay at Arsenal. My target is to consolidate my place and to reach the Argentina national team as No 1. I won’t stop until I get that and if I don’t play for Arsenal, then I will move on.”

Martinez has been at Arsenal for a decade now and, while he always looked like a competent keeper, until this spell he never looked like he had what was needed to make it as Arsenal’s number one on a permanent basis.

Of course, we didn’t consider the ‘Gerry Peyton’ factor – the one man I hold personally responsible for destroying more keepers than is acceptable.

Since Peyton left and Martinez received coaching from somebody who actually knows what they are doing, he has been a man transformed.

Let’s not forget, it’s not like Bernd Leno was a bit rubbish this season. Arsenal fans even voted him Player of the Season runner-up. Every argument could be made that he was our player of the season before he picked up his injury at Brighton.

Arsenal's German goalkeeper Bernd Leno (R) lies on the ground next to Brighton's French striker Neal Maupay during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on June 20, 2020. (Photo by Gareth Fuller / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GARETH FULLER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) — Bernd Leno (R) lies on the ground next to Brighton’s French striker Neal Maupay during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on June 20, 2020. (Photo by Gareth Fuller / POOL / AFP)

Martinez is out of contract in 2022, so it will be interesting to see how the club handle this moving forward. There is no doubt that Martinez deserves to keep the number one shirt going into the new season.

That, in itself, will likely cause issues with Leno who is too good to be a number two. He’s under contract until 2023.

The German also earns around five times what Arsenal pay Emi Martinez at present.