Emiliano Martinez claims he is Arsenal's best goalkeeper and has outlined his determination to be No 1 for both club and country.
Martinez joined Arsenal as a teenager from Independiente and, after a string of lower league loans plus one in Spain with Getafe, feels his time has come to make a genuine push to be first choice at the Emirates.
Martinez, who will make his third appearance of the season in Thursday's Europa League tie against Standard Liege, has also set his sights on much more than just standing in when Leno gets a rest.
'Yeah of course,' Marinez said, when asked if he feels he is Arsenal's best stopper.
'If you want to be Arsenal No 1 you have to believe in yourself no matter what.
'I believe in my talent, my work. I'm delighted to have had really good goalkeeper coaches. Gerry Payton helped me a lot, Sal [Bibbo] and Javi [Garcia] have taken me to another level. I'm very grateful but my goals are much higher.
'Since I signed for this club my goal was always to be No 1. I've been here almost 10 years already, I came as a young boy and now I'm a grown man. I went on loan quite a few times, some good, some bad, but at the end of the day my work ethic and commitment was to always be the No 1 for Arsenal and for the national team.
'That's the dream that I said to my dad that I'm going to do. I won't stop until I'm the No 1 for Argentina.'
Martinez insists the pressure he is applying to Leno is only healthy and all part of life at a big club.
He said: 'Me and Bernd work very hard, we're both talented goalkeepers, [third choice] Matt [Macey] as well.
'We work really hard, that's to play for Arsenal, you always have to challenge everyone. Matt challenges me, I challenge Bernd. It used to be the same with Petr and David Ospina. It's a big club. Challenges will always be there.'
SawHotz
0
stop joking
says the joker himself[Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
Letceinty
0
may be
yenacenosy
1
stop joking
veeabeknoy
0
come on
vaealoty
0
That's because you have your head in Messi's as$ mate
[Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh] u got me laugh like a kid over here hehehe
Nocdekmprt
0
Martinez beats them all, for me. In a small, poor Club with no many super stars he's proving something that the much talked about Klopp and Pep may not achieve if they were to manage the same Granada.
stt26
1
Yeah.....with the goals we concede, Leno should rest and reflect. This dude is really into the groove. Time to swap basket case Leno for an iron mould Martinez.
What can the keeper do when the defences are too bad. if it weren't for Leno, we would prob be in the bottom half of the table regarding the saves that he has made
Toeceryz
0
Yeah.....with the goals we concede, Leno should rest and reflect. This dude is really into the groove. Time to swap basket case Leno for an iron mould Martinez.
Sunelrsy
0
Yes. U will.
chango25
3
Good luck you are much better than B Leno keep it Up Martinez stay humble and at the end of the day we wish you would be able to stand between the sticks.❤🙏
Juharaliye
2
go now
Nocdekmprt
1
Good luck, boy
Jsmooth
1
He’s destined for greatness for sure
apriltungnung
2
I agree ..he’s better then Leno
fesbertyz
1
bro just focusing and your time will come. but right now Leno is our no. 1
Cipekz
2
Not now bro
Maravilla
2
Martinez impressed against frankfurt. at this moment he's doing better than Leno.
PalettinoSyrious
0
I think Sergio Romero is the best Goalkeeper of Argentina in all time
That's because you have your head in Messi's as$ mate
TaslimAlamat
1
I think Sergio Romero is the best Goalkeeper of Argentina in all time
aj002
0
am confident on to leno...all he need is a chance...
Sueadnpruy
0
great man
Messigician9703
0
he is like fouseytube who said he wants to fight deji or jake paul
lol
Zieop
0
he is like fouseytube who said he wants to fight deji or jake paul
i forget to say i might be wrong so yh have a good day
Zieop
0
he is like fouseytube who said he wants to fight deji or jake paul
vetabdkl
6
go for it man