Aston Villa are preparing for the potential exit of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez by accelerating a move for Parma’s Zion Suzuki. Juventus have revived their interest in Martínez, who is open to leaving after six seasons at Villa and is increasingly likely to depart during this transfer window. Villa are advancing a deal to sign Suzuki as the Argentina No 1’s replacement.
Villa dismissed an offer from Juve for Martínez earlier this summer, but Juve have now revisited a move for the 33-year-old, who is under contract until 2029. Juve are also thought to be monitoring Ederson, now of Fenerbahce, and Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario. Suzuki was poised to join Paris Saint-Germain this week, but the Champions League winners, who defeated Villa in the Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday, pulled out of a deal worth about €35m (£30m).
Villa identified the then-Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier as their priority target last summer if Martínez left for Manchester United, but Martínez stayed after Villa received no bids and Chevalier joined PSG. Martínez was among the players given an extended post-World Cup break by Unai Emery. Villa’s wish was for Martínez to remain their No 1.
Villa have sold Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne this summer and there remain serious doubts over whether they will be able to retain Ezri Konsa. Arsenal are keen to sign the England defender, but are reluctant to meet Villa’s mooted £60m valuation.
There is an acceptance at Villa that in order to recruit a forward of Premier League pedigree, as Emery wishes, they will have to countenance another major sale as they fight to comply with financial rules. Martínez is thought to be Villa’s highest earner.
Suzuki, who was born in the US to a Ghanaian father and a Japanese mother, was raised in Japan. He started all four of Japan’s games at the World Cup. The 23-year-old started his career at Urawa Red Diamonds before joining the Belgian club Sint-Truiden, initially on loan. Two years ago, he joined Parma, where he established himself. He has been tracked by several Premier League clubs this window.
Villa expect to complete the £17m signing of the Atlético Madrid full-back Matteo Ruggeri in the coming days and they are still pushing to sign the Bayern Munich midfielder João Palhinha after Amadou Onana sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the World Cup with Belgium. They are also among the clubs interested in the West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is among Emery’s preferred attacking targets, but cannot join on loan after Alejandro Garnacho’s loan signing.
Paris Saint-Germain have signed Spain’s World Cup-winning forward Ferran Torres from Barcelona on a contract until 2031. Financial details were not disclosed, but reports said PSG paid €50m (£42.7m) for the 26-year-old.
Spain’s World Cup hero arrives in the French capital after scoring the extra-time winner in the final against Argentina. He scored 21 goals and provided three assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for Barça last season as they retained their La Liga title.
Torres joined Barcelona in 2022 after a brief spell at Manchester City. He has scored 25 goals in 65 appearances for Spain and will be reunited with Luis Enrique, having previously played under the Spaniard for national team.
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Djed Spence has completed his move from Tottenham to Inter on a five-year deal, with the England defender costing around €30m. It is understood the package includes a 10% sell-on clause.
Spence – who started four games at the World Cup, including the semi-final against Argentina – had fallen down the pecking order at Spurs after the arrival of Andy Robertson from Liverpool.
He signed a new four‑year contract iat the start of last season, but expressed his interest in joining the Italian champions, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro expected to be Roberto De Zerbi’s preferred full‑backs this season. The former Middlesbrough wing-back, who began his career at Fulham, joined Tottenham for £12.5m in the summer of 2022 and has had loan spells at Nottingham Forest, Rennes, Leeds and Genoa.
Elsewhere, Coventry have agreed a deal to sign Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi. The 29-year-old Nigeria striker, who scored four top-flight goals last season, is down the pecking order at Forest and will bolster Coventry’s forward options for their Premier League opener at Arsenal on Friday.