Report: Villa agree to sign Arsenal 'keeper Martinez for £20M

Aston Villa reached an agreement with Arsenal on Saturday to sign goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for around £20 million, according to The Telegraph's John Percy.

Martinez, who turned heads with a number of encouraging performances in last season's FA Cup, should now have the opportunity to start on a regular basis. Villa's usual No. 1 'keeper, Tom Heaton, is out with a long-term knee injury, and backup Lovre Kalinic has failed to impress since joining the club in December 2018.

Having backstopped the Gunners to glory in the FA Cup and, more recently, the Community Shield, Martinez reportedly expected a raise on his £25,000 weekly salary.

The 28-year-old previously said he'd stay at Arsenal if promised more minutes. But manager Mikel Arteta declined to name Martinez his starter and instead restored German 'keeper Bernd Leno upon his return from injury.

Martinez spent recent seasons on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Getafe, and Reading. He's only made 15 Premier League appearances since making his debut in November 2014.

Arteta will now have to dip into the market to find a backup. Brentford goalkeeper David Raya is reportedly among a number of options, but it's unclear whether the Championship side will sell the 24-year-old Spaniard. Brentford already sold striker Ollie Watkins to Villa, and winger Said Benrahma missed the club's first match of the season amid transfer speculation.