Manchester United are exploring a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, talkSPORT understands.

A deal for the Argentine World Cup winner is dependent on United’s ongoing pursuit of Royal Antwerp stopper Senne Lammens.

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The Red Devils do not plan to sign both.

United have been plagued by bad performances in goal for much of Ruben Amorim’s tenure.

Altay Bayindir was at fault for Riccardo Calafiori’s matchwinner in their opening game of the season, while Andre Onana was the face of humiliation against League Two side Grimsby in the Carabao Cup second round.

Martinez, meanwhile, played a key role in getting Villa back into the Champions League and then to the quarter-finals, while he’s become Argentina’s undisputed No.1 in their new era of dominance.

The 32-year-old has backstopped the Albiceleste to back-to-back Copa America wins, either side of starring in their 2022 World Cup triumph.

Such success brought Martinez two Yashin Trophies, the premier individual award for goalkeepers handed out at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Those achievements clearly heightened his ambitions, with the shot-stopper bidding a teary farewell to Villa fans at the end of the 2024/25 season following their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Yet a back into Europe’s top tier competition didn’t materialise, and the lure of United’s stature as one of the world’s biggest sports teams may instead suffice. 

United earlier looked to have found a solution in the shape of Antwerp’s Lammens, but that deal appears to be no closer to a resolution.

The 23-year-old has been left out of his team’s last two league matches amid speculation over an Old Trafford switch.

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talkSPORT first reported Manchester United’s interest in Lammens in July with a fee of £17million quoted.

However, he was initially seen as a back-up option to Onana, a role that may have been reconsidered after the Cameroonian’s horror start.

Onana was at fault for both goals in United’s 2-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby which was decided on penalties where he also failed to make multiple saves despite getting a glove on the ball.

Amorim was questioned about the goalkeeper in particular post-match, but refused to single anyone out.

“I think something has to change. In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend [against Burnley] and then we have time to think,” he said in response.

“In the first half, I told them that they were speaking really loud to me: ‘I understand what you are doing, what I am seeing. Let’s try to change that in the 45 minutes’.

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“It’s not the goalkeepers. It’s more than that. It’s everyone. Thank you.”

Despite his comments, Bayindir was again at fault for another goal against Burnley and Amorim had to put up another defence.

“They are humans. At Manchester United, everything is analysed,” he said after the edgy 3-2 win.

“Everybody talks about the goalkeeper. And you can see, I can change the goalkeeper and these situations keep happening. We are in that moment.

“I think it is hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment. But if you look at the first goal, we can defend it better.

“We suffered a quite similar goal against Fulham, because we don’t do the full rotation of the team when the ball is on the other side.

“All these small things have nothing to do with the goalkeeper.”