The goalkeeper situation at Juventus has no end in sight, and Saturday brought another twist in the saga that seems to see something completely unexpected happen every couple of days lately.
You thought Zion Suzuki was going to Paris Saint-Germain? Ha, think again!
All of this has kicked off another potential instance of the goalkeeper Domino effect coming into action. Aston Villa, a club linked with Suzuki earlier this summer, are now reportedly trying to accelerate a deal after things fell apart with PSG due to potential commission costs for agents. And because of that, according to multiple reports out of Italy, Juventus saw an opportunity to check in with their first initial backup plan this summer, current Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, to see if things can be rekindled after much of June and July involving reports of the Bianconeri trying to bring the World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022 to Turin.
Per Fabrizio Romano, talks between Juve and Villa are “not at advanced stages after today’s call.” He adds that “physical issues” that Martinez suffered during the World Cup earlier this summer — i.e. playing with a broken finger that he suffered before the Europa League final — are very much a potential sticking point and Juve are also considering other options in goal.
Consider all of this something that I didn’t expect to be writing about this weekend. The Suzuki move to Paris Saint-Germain looked like it was just one official announcement away from happening. Then … poof! Suzuki’s move to PSG was a thing of the past, commissions were not deemed suitable all the sudden and the private jet that that two-time defending European champions to pick up the Japanese goalkeeper was canceled.
Interesting little Saturday.
Aston Villa had been linked to Suzuki earlier this summer, and a potential move to Villa Park was viewed as a potential thing to unlock Martinez’s departure and potential move to Juventus. Then we waited … and waited … and waited … only for Suzuki to then become an option for Juve as the Martinez move stalled.
The general consensus in reporting following all of this happening on Saturday: Juventus moving for Martinez still looks like an extremely tough thing to make happen — especially now with the 2026-27 season about to begin. Aston Villa have reportedly submitted the same type of financial package that PSG did for Suzuki, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Martinez is on his way to Juve because of it. Why? Because of money, honey — the same thing that has always made this deal something that hadn’t already taken place this summer.