If a latest report from is believed to be true, Aston Villa are closing in on Marco Bizot amid uncertainties over Emiliano Martinez’s future. The Brest goalkeeper ought to journey subsequent week to change into the Lions’ second signing after Zepiqueno Redmond, who joined them as a free agent earlier this window.
The 34-year-old former Netherlands worldwide progressed by means of Ajax’s academy ranks however by no means broke into their senior squad. After a season-long mortgage at Cambuur within the Eerste Divisie, top-flight outfit Groningen snapped him up for €125k. He then spent three years in Belgium with Genk earlier than returning to his homeland.
Commercial
AZ secured his companies on Bosman and handed him a ‘number one’ standing throughout competitions. Bizot left them 4 years later, this time for France, as Les Pirates accomplished a minuscule €1m switch in the summertime of 2021. He maintained his experience between the sticks, together with a boisterous 2023–24 season when the Ligue 1 aspect completed third behind PSG and Monaco. The veteran shotstopper additionally represented them 9 occasions within the 2024-25 Champions League marketing campaign.
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – NOVEMBER 11: Alvaro Morata of Spain battles for the ball with Joel Veltman of Netherlands through the worldwide pleasant match between Netherlands and Spain at Johan Cruijff Area on November 11, 2020, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Sporting stadiums across the Netherlands stay underneath strict restrictions because of the Coronavirus Pandemic as Authorities social distancing legal guidelines prohibit followers inside venues, leading to video games being performed behind closed doorways. (Photograph by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Photographs)
Why Aston Villa Are Chasing Bizot
Regardless of an everyday first-team function, Bizot is now able to strive his luck in English soccer. Whereas he impressed each Unai Emery and the membership’s scouting division, the Spanish boss is roping him in because the second-choice following Robin Olsen’s departure. Villa have Joe Gauci and Filip Marschall amongst goalkeeping choices; nonetheless, the pair might additionally half methods, with the latter being by Blackpool and Port Vale as per the newest rumours.
Commercial
In the meantime, Martinez has been linked to an exit for fairly a while amid from each prime English outfits and Saudi golf equipment. The Argentine World Cup hero is likely one of the highest earners at Villa Park, and his transfer would ease their wage invoice, thus serving to them keep away from the Premier League’s PSR and UEFA’s sanctions.
breached UEFA’s squad price guidelines final yr. They agreed with UEFA to chop wage bills by the closure of the following summer time window, and the failure to qualify for the upcoming Champions League season has hit them financially. Though they used a number of accounting to keep away from punishment, there’s little room for errors within the coming days.
It stays to be seen who the membership will usher in as Martinez’s successor, however a participant of Bizot’s profile might declare a beginning spot in the interim. His shot-stopping capability, excessive claims, outings and the composure in one-on-one conditions supply stability within the final line of defence. Regardless of a difficult 2024-25 Ligue 1 marketing campaign, the Dutchman possesses all of the qualities to excel in England underneath Emery’s steering and Javi Garcia’s coaching.