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Aston Villa to submit bid for France goalkeeper as Emiliano Martinez replacement
Jul 03 2026 21:47 · By Chris Davie · 0 Reads
Aston Villa are set to submit a bid for Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser (Reuters)
Aston Villa are set to submit a bid to sign Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser, according to reports in France.
Villa are in the market to sign a replacement for Emiliano Martinez , who has reached an agreement to join Juventus after Argentina’s World Cup campaign.
Martinez has been with Villa for six years having joined in a £17 million deal from Arsenal in 2020 and helped Unai Emery ’s side win the Europa League last season.
According to L’Equipe, Villa have identified Risser as Martinez’s successor and the Premier League club are now planning to launch an offer for the Lens goalkeeper.
England's hero (Picture:Getty)
The report adds that Villa have been keeping tabs of Risser’s progress in Ligue 1 ‘for several months’ but Lens want to keep the 21-year-old.
Risser has only been at Lens for one season after he was signed for €3m (£2.5m) from Strasbourg last summer.
Emiliano Martinez has agreed a deal to join Juventus (Getty)
Risser is with France’s squad for their World Cup campaign but is third choice behind Mike Maignan and Brice Samba.
In May, Risser was awarded Goalkeeper of the Year in Ligue 1 and was also named in the division’s Team of the Season.
Martinez, meanwhile, came close to leaving Villa last year with Manchester United interested in a deal and speaking in May, Argentina’s goalkeeper left the door more a move away from Villa Park this summer.
‘Sometimes football can change, managers can come in and go. In football people move around the place,’ Martinez said.
‘It doesn’t mean that I don’t have full respect for the club. I have a commitment with Aston Villa. I am a World Cup winner with Aston Villa. I have won two Golden Gloves with Aston Villa. I will always and forever love this club.
‘We have a top coach, a top captain and a decent core of the team. When we stick together and when we fight together, I think that we can beat anybody. I am really proud to stay – I made the right choice.’