Earlier this week, Aston Villa completed their first signing of the January transfer window as they acquired right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic from Red Star Belgrade. Villa won't immediately feel the benefit of that deal as they chase a top-four spot in the Premier League, with the youngster set to remain in Serbia on loan until the end of the season.
One player who could make an instant impact at Villa Park is Middlesbrough's Morgan Rogers, subject to two unsuccessful bids. There's optimism that Unai Emery's side could make a breakthrough in that pursuit shortly following Boro's exit from the League Cup at the semifinal stage.
A third target was Elfsborg goalkeeper Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson, who has publicly called the Villans "a top club" who "play very well". Villa made an official bid for the signing, but now it looks as if he's heading elsewhere.
Brentford now set to complete Valdimarsson hijack
According to Fabrizio Romano, Brentford will now sign Villa target Valdimarsson. He's having a medical on Wednesday after the Bees agreed a deal worth €4m, with €3.1m guaranteed and a further €900k potentially arriving in add-ons.
Both Villa and Danish side Copenhagen saw bids rejected for the 22-year-old, and Brentford have now opportunistically "hijacked the move". The deal is "done", and should be confirmed in due course.
Yashin Trophy winner Martinez relieves Emery blow
There's no denying this is a blow for Emery, who clearly wanted to land Valdimarsson, otherwise Villa's interest wouldn't have progressed as far as it did. The Icelandic stopper, described as "highly rated" by journalist Mike McGrath, now been snatched away by a Premier League competitor.
The good news for the club, though, is that Emi Martinez is still under contract until 2027, and while Valdimarsson could have been a long-term successor to the 31-year-old, he should be able to hold down the role for a good few years yet given that it's not as physically demanding as other positions.
Martinez is truly a perfect goalkeeper for Villa, having racked up a whole host of prestigious accolades since he joined in 2020. The winner of the Golden Glove with champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, he was named The Best Goalkeeper that year and also landed the 2023 Yashin Trophy.
Clean sheets
5
=5th
Saves
78
3rd
Save percentage
73
4th
Goals prevented
3.0
7th
Launched pass completion (%)
40.7
5th
Crosses stopped (%)
12.8
2nd
The table above shows that he's been in excellent form this season too, whether you look at the basic numbers or the advanced data. He's a strong shot-stopper and a precise distributor who can command his penalty area, rivalling some of the best keepers in the division.
The hope for Villa will be that they can find a deputy option just as good as Valdimarsson, whether this month or in the summer transfer window, but the excellent performances of Martinez have certainly taken some of the pressure off.