Emiliano Martinez reveals wishes for Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi to join Aston Villa

Emiliano Martinez has boldly called for his Argentina team-mate, Lionel Messi, to join Aston Villa in the summer transfer window. 

Messi’s future at PSG has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, given the fact that his current deal expires this summer.

Despite having the option to extend his deal by a year, the Argentinian superstar looks set to depart the Parc des Princes for free after refusing a contract extension.

His recent two-week suspension for taking a trip to Saudi Arabia will have done little to help his fractured relations in Paris and has ultimately confirmed his summer exit. 

There have been rumours that Messi will take his talents to Saudi Arabia when he leaves PSG, however, Argentina team-mate Martinez has now thrown Villa’s hat in the ring. 

The Argentina stopper called for national team-mate Messi to make a sensational Villa switch

In a recent interview with ESPN, Martinez was asked whether Villa could sign the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. He replied: ‘If they are whistling Messi, I would bring him here.. at Villa. 

‘Hey, man, we’ll drink mate, we eat asados every week. I will cut my salary, we’ll do our best’.

The Villa goalkeeper made reference to the jeers that Messi received from PSG fans in his first match back since serving a two-week suspension.

In their thumping 5-1 win over Ajaccio earlier this month, the crowd booed when Messi’s name was announced in the line-up and when he first touched the ball.

French media reported that Messi had been suspended for two weeks after making a trip to Saudi Arabia the day after their 3-1 defeat to Lorient last month.

The World Cup winner returned to the fold days later, after issuing an apology to his team-mates for the trip, which had led to him missing one of their training sessions.

Despite being reintegrated within the PSG squad, the Argentinian has refused to trigger a one-year extension in his contract and is nearing a summer exit. 

While his former club, Barcelona, are pushing for a return to Spain for Messi, recent reports claimed he had been offered a two-year contract worth £887m (€1billion) in Saudi Arabia.

The Argentinian’s future at PSG has been cast into doubt after being suspended for two weeks

However, Messi’s father Jorge denied any agreement had been reached with another club and said that no decisions would be made until the end of the current campaign.

Last week, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said he will do everything in his power to bring Messi back to the Camp Nou this summer.  

He said: ‘We are already working on next year’s team. We hope to be able to reinforce the team.’

‘We are in an austerity plan at the club to be able to have enough fair-play to allow us to improve the team. We are doing our homework to be able to have an even more competitive team next season.’