Emiliano Martinez must ‘adapt quickly’ before Aston Villa return after World Cup celebrations

The Argentina goalkeeper faces a mental and physical ‘check’ before Unai Emery selects him for his club again

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (PA Wire)

Unai Emery will see if Emiliano Martinez is mentally ready to return to action before pitching the World Cup-winning goalkeeper back into his Aston Villa team.

The Argentinian has been celebrating in his homeland before returning to England this week and Emery said the former Arsenal player needs to show his focus is on club football if he is to face Tottenham on Sunday.

Martinez’s last taste of action was the penalty shootout against France, when he saved Kingsley Coman’s spot kick to help Argentina lift the World Cup for the third time.

He also won the World Cup’s Golden Glove award but marked it with a rude gesture with the trophy and goaded France when back in Buenos Aires, prompting the French FA to complain, and Emery wants to ensure he is ready to play for his team.

He said: “When Emiliano is coming back to adapt again in a new way with us. Congratulations to him and now we are here thinking of our step ahead with Aston Villa. Of course he needs to adapt quickly again in our work.

“He is going to be available physically and his mentality we are going to check. Hopefully he is coming 100 percent focused on Aston Villa.

“For us, we are proud of him. Every Aston Villa supporter must be proud of him. We have in our team and our squad a winner of a World Cup, which he deserves.

“When he is coming back we have to try to introduce him again into our everyday and to be positive to use his energy and trying to use his mentality to help us.”