Following Emi Martinez’s signing of a new deal with Aston Villa, Damian Vidagany lauded the goalkeeper’s impact on the locker room.
Director of football operations at Aston Villa Damian Vidagany said that Unai Emery’s culture at Bodymoor Heath serves as an inspiration for each new player who signs with the team.
Villa was led by Emery to a seventh-place result in 2022–2023 before defeating Tottenham to finish fourth the previous season and earning a spot in the Champions League. Last season, ACL injuries sidelined Emi Buendia, Tyrone Mings, and Boubacar Kamara, and caused partial campaign absences for Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans, and Jacob Ramsey, among others.
Even though Villa crossed the finish line in fourth place before the last weekend of the Premier League, they were no longer eligible for Europe as a result of Emery’s squad’s continued depletion. This summer, Villa had to balance their budget while trying to bolster Emery’s squad. With eight days left in the window, the manager of Villa is generally happy with his alternatives.
The positive vibes at Villa have persisted following their victory against West Ham in their season opener last weekend, as Emi Martinez reaffirmed his commitment to the team by signing a contract extension till 2029. Speaking at the Villa Store, Vidagany discussed the transfer window and the goalkeeper’s new contract—a revelation Martinez personally revealed.
“The main challenge we have was to keep the beautiful mentality we have at this club,” Vidagany stated. “The most crucial thing was to preserve what Unai and the men started to establish when I arrived in November 2022, regardless of who needs to show up.
“The mindset of the current players inspires everyone who comes here, therefore for us, keeping him was crucial.
“Maintaining Emi Martinez was crucial; a team knows it has found the best player in the world when it can keep him in his current role.
“His presence would be beneficial to any team worldwide. He brings us much joy and pride. Not just him, but all the players, including John McGinn, Ezri Konsa, and Ollie Watkins.
“Monchi wants young, fresh-blooded players with a spirit in addition to good players, so we need to encourage the starting players to put in more effort as well. We have a deeper roster and a lot of young guys that want to be successful. The situation we find ourselves in is astounding.”
Get more related news on sportnews.com
Leave a Reply