Emi Martinez tops Golden Glove odds amid Juventus transfer chase
As of 30 June 2026, Emi Martinez is priced at 7/2 to win the World Cup Golden Glove, level with Spain's Unai Simon, while France's Mike Maignan leads the market at 3/1. The Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper is defending his 2022 award as Juventus make fresh contact over a summer transfer worth more than €10 million.
Martinez is trying to become only the fourth goalkeeper to win the World Cup twice. Argentina face Cape Verde in the last 32 on Friday, with bookmakers tracking every clean sheet as knockout football begins. For more offbeat sports twists, see our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage.
Key Takeaways
- Emi Martinez and Unai Simon are joint second favourites at 7/2; Mike Maignan leads at 3/1 as of 30 June.
- The Golden Glove is decided by a FIFA Technical Study Group, not simply the most clean sheets.
- Juventus have made new contact with Aston Villa, but Villa's price remains above €10 million.
- Aston Villa are open to a sale to trim wages and comply with PSR rules, yet feel no pressure to sell.
Who leads the 2026 World Cup Golden Glove betting market?
Bookmakers listed on Bookies.com had Mike Maignan as the favourite at 3/1 on 30 June. Emi Martinez and Unai Simon followed at 7/2 each, with Jordan Pickford and Alisson Becker also among the leading names.
Maignan's edge partly reflects France already securing a last-16 place, while Argentina and Spain had yet to play their round-of-32 ties. FIFA's Technical Study Group picks the winner based on overall performance, not clean-sheet totals alone.
Why is Emi Martinez still a Golden Glove contender?
Martinez won the Golden Glove when Argentina lifted the 2022 World Cup. He is now attempting to repeat that feat while leading the Albiceleste's defence in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
At club level, he played through a broken finger suffered in the warm-up before Villa's 3-0 Europa League final win over Freiburg last month. Opta data cited by the BBC shows he made 95 saves last season with a 71% save percentage and conceded 39 goals, his second-lowest total in five Premier League campaigns.
Will Aston Villa sell Emi Martinez this summer?
According to BBC Sport, Villa have been open to letting Martinez leave as they look to reduce the wage bill and lower the squad's average age. A sale would help the club comply with Premier League profit and sustainability regulations.
Juventus remain keen. OneFootball reports the Serie A club made new contact with Villa this week, though the asking price is still above €10 million. Tottenham's Guglielmo Vicario remains an alternative target if talks stall.
Villa appear calm about the situation. OneFootball notes English media have not discussed Martinez's future in detail, suggesting the club feel under no pressure to execute a sale while he is on World Cup duty.
Martinez will turn 34 in September. Villa have tracked replacements including James Trafford, Alex Remiro and Zion Suzuki. He is introduced as the world's number one at Villa Park, yet doubts remain whether he will still be the club's first-choice goalkeeper when the new season starts.