Manchester United were very close to signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez last summer according to the player's agent.

The Argentinian goalkeeper's stock has risen drastically since he left Arsenal. He was awarded the Golden Glove award at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and United were on the lookout for a shot stopper in 2023 after David de Gea's contract expired.

United would sign Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana to fill the De Gea void but in an interview with ESPN Futbol 12, Martinez's agent Gonzalo Goni claimed his client was close to taking that position instead. "Last year he was very close to Manchester United, the coach chose Onana, because he already knew him," Goni admitted.

"But everyone at Manchester United later maintained that the ideal goalkeeper to win was Emiliano Martinez." Erik ten Hag and Onana had worked together at Ajax previously so there was an existing bond between the duo.

However, other factors may have played into the fact that a deal for Martinez was not completed. In September 2021, the 31-year-old became Public Enemy No.1 at Old Trafford after he infamously danced in front of the Stretford End following Bruno Fernandes' penalty miss.

In March 2022, Martinez would explain his actions on that fateful day. "The fact I danced in front of the crowd at Man United was because I could hear people insulting me all throughout the game," he told Amazon Prime Video Sport.

"When they missed a penalty, I remembered all the s*** they were talking about me." United fans did get a measure of revenge in January 2022 when Martinez made a howler at Villa Park to gift the Reds the lead but he remains an unpopular figure with matchgoing supporters.