Argentina Under 17 international Damián Martínez has spoken for the first time since becoming an Arsenal player in the summer. However, Martínez will remain with parent club Independiente, who co-own the ‘keeper, until he is 18.
Arsenal have paid around $1 million dollars for 70% ownership of Damián while Independiente will hold the remaining 30%. They have given up all rights over the player yet will command 30% of any potential sell on fee. The Gunners will pay a further $1 million should the promising goalkeeper achieve certain targets set within his contract.
After impressing during a national team fixture against Chile, Steve Rowley recommended that the club take a closer look at ‘Dibu’s’ blossoming talent. Goalkeeping coach Miguel Angel Santoro accompanied Damián and his family to London for a trial and the coaching staff were instantly impressed. South American executive Richard Law thrashed out a deal after prolonged talks – the club were determined to make sure the prospect was London bound.
Speaking to Argentine publication Rojo News, the confident stopper is open-minded about the switch while admitting that it is an ‘important’ move.
“This is going to serve as experience whatever happens, good or bad. Everything will be important for my future so I am not nervous or anything.”
When quizzed on how his English is coming along, the River-Plate born youngster confirmed he has not learnt anything yet, but with time on his side, he’s optimistic it will come along nicely.
“With the English language, I’m quite bad, but everything can be sorted. I imagine I have lots of time to do it, so I’ll be able to learn English.”
At 190cm, Martínez is a towering prospect. Quick, agile and a dominant and decisive ‘keeper, all the coaching staff at Arsenal are very confident that their latest South American acquisition will be a real star for the future.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Very happy are scouts are ALWAYS on the lookout for promosing talent. Actually, especially in defensive terms so another Goalie for thr youth is good competition. It’s very hard to get someone who is or could be great.
I’d love us to find a promosing right back next.
Looks like we’re buying every promising keeper in the world – in theory, at least one should be the next Buffon :)
We already have one his name is Sam Byles!
all this promise is killing me,we need a good and proper keeper ,full stop!
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J, I don’t know if you have already seen it, but Olheiros.net (the most respected brazilian site in terms of youth levels) mentioned Young Guns when they were talking about Zezinho’s second trial.
Here’s the link :http://www.olheiros.net/Blog.aspx?id=564
Congratulations from Brazil
Its good for the future of the club but we need experience players that would win trophy for us.
J, do you rate him better than Szczesny?
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I’ve only seen one of his games, kv, so its hard to judge him compared to Szczesny. But certainly he’s very highly thought of at national level and at the club. The Shez is a bit further down the road but definately talented.
sam byles isnt a keeper
Argentine goalkeepers are not good, I have never seen any decent keepers from that country. My view is based on watching Argenina during the world cups, so I could be wrong
Greg, I think Sean answered to what Dan wrote about right backs, not goalkeepers.
Good: future Line-Up:
Martinez
Evina Nartley Nordveit Gibbs
Coquelin Lansbury
Wellington wilshere
afobe/freeman ansah
Co-ownership? 70%? WTF? Does that get us a keeper with one eye and one arm missing?
i would prefer to see fabregas captining that future line-up considering he,ll only probably be 30!!hahaha
Lol, of course not, his former Club will be participated when Arsenal sell Martinez.
arent we meant to be getting cardiff city right back adam matthews??
Check out Norway’s version of Cristino Ronaldo… Harmeet Singh! we need to buy him.. have you seen this player play J?
Adam Matthews has signed for Man Utd.
Jones quashed it as rumours
http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~1888026,00.html
Unless Fabregas joins Barcemoaners
y always talk of Fab. leaving first he has no choice 4 3 years 2nd he,s to smart to go while Inieta & Xabi are playing well
Matthews actually played in the support striker or No.10 role when he played for the academy against us. So it explains why he is good on the ball in the RB position. Good luck to him, with further improvement in his 1v1 defending and positioning then he will be a very good fullback.
I don’t know what ManU want with Matthews, with Rafael they have a future star at the right back, there would be no place for Matthews, in addition they also have Neville and O’Shea can also operate on the right-back.
At Arsenal he would be the back-up for Sagna and that would be a good thing for him, would be a compared situation to Ramsey.
@ Dudu, we have numbers in that area as well, Sag Manu Hoyte Gilbert Eastmond
But it’s different to see.
Sagna is our Right-back.
Eboue is more offensive, Arséne use him always more offensive, he is often a right Winger.
Gilbert and Hoyte won’t break into the first team in my opinion.
Eastmond is now more an defensive midfielder, at Right-Back he maintained a low profile.
However, I think when it comes to Matthews, he should prefer Arsenal.
yeah..another football fans blog i think.. but, i imagine if arsenal vs ac milan.. that must be great..
“Argentina Under 17 international Damián Martínez has spoken for the first time since becoming an Arsenal player in the summer.”
That’s good news, I was worried about the prospect of having a mute goalkeeper
Is it me or does he look a wee bit heavy!
@ Dudu, Hoyte can still break thru if he can improve on the ball and continue improving defensive nous which comes with experience, he has the raw ingredients, incredible speed and 6ft tall
Unfortunately Tim Vickery on the BBC, who’s generally an excellent scout and informant on South American players, says that he watched Damian Martinez closely during the U-17 World Cup and was really disappointed with him. Said he was nowhere near being considered a talented prospect. He is a Spurs fan though!
Who knows, if the kid has a good head on his shoulders he’ll get a good education at Arsenal, but I guess his chances of making it are 1 in 50. A million dollars seems a lot of money for him.
@ crafty hahahah. Good one.
WEN IZ THA NXT ARTCLE J?
Up now.
http://youngguns.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/loanees-simpson-scores-lansbury-wins-penalty/
That really was funny Crafty.
I watched this kid on a couple of occasions at the World Cup and he made a few good saves but he’s dodgy as fuck on high balls when he should be dominating them. Still, you can’t just write the lad off on that showing. There’s a reason Arsenal scout players so much before actually making their move. I’m sure this boy will improve with time and you never know, might just turn out be a great ‘keeper someday.
The strange thing is that we seems to collect goalkeepers the same way we used to colleect central midfield player.
To me that looks like Arsene Wenger is not convinced by the one we have at least in the long term: Almunia, Fabianski, Mannone.
Arsenal has received our other polish goalkeeper right to play in the FA Cup. That looks like WS (easy to spell than his full name) may use as a back up in that competition.
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Emi, sos un orgullo amigo!!! Pero volveee, porque se te extraña!!!
Emmm, debo ser la unica que escribio en castellano, no..??? jajaja
Tee amo .. =)
Paradigma Guardiola
Yo tb escribo en castellano
Damián, suerte en Arsenal.
Saludos
Paradigma Guardiola. Escribí cuando puedas