Former Arsenal player Kevin Campbell has urged Arsenal fans to stop ‘crying’ over Emi Martinez.
The Argentine is still very popular among Arsenal fans, mostly for the wrong reasons. He was absolutely outstanding for us in his final season at the Emirates, but he was sold to Aston Villa for just £17 million (BBC) quickly after, and some Gooners are yet to come to terms with it.
Every time Martinez has a good game, some Arsenal fans feel the need to have a dig at Mikel Arteta and Edu for letting him go. We’re not saying their criticism is wrong, but it has been going on for about a year now, and it’s time for all of us to move on.
Kevin Campbell: Arsenal fans should stop crying over Emi Martinez
Campbell, speaking on The Highbury Squad YouTube channel, seemed tired of Arsenal fans ‘crying’ over Martinez. He has urged Gooners to accept the fact that he’s gone and move on, and we can’t agree with him more.
He said: “The previous goalkeeper (Martinez) doesn’t get a mention. He’s gone, he has gone! So let’s not even talk about him. They (Arsenal fans) were upset at the time, but it has happened and it has gone. Let it go, move on!
“It’s gone. It’s a year gone. Leno beat him (to be Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper). It’s that simple. He did because he got the number one, so let’s not talk about a player who is not at our football club.
“I’m not erasing history. There’s no point in crying over spilt milk like we have done already last season.”
Campbell is absolutely spot on. Yes, Martinez is an outstanding goalkeeper, yes, he has been brilliant for Villa, and yes, it’s only a matter of time before he moves to a top club in Europe. However, it’s time for everyone to move on.
Read more: Fabrizio Romano shares how William Saliba reacted when Arsenal told him to go out on loan again
Arteta and Edu had to make a decision and the only offer on the table at the time was from Villa for Martinez. The Gunners accepted it, he left and it’s time for all of us to forget about the Argentine and support Leno, who is a phenomenal goalkeeper in his own right.
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