Emiliano Martinez seals switch to Getafe on loan

Arsenal's third-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has headed to Getafe on a season-long loan as he looks to gain valuable first-team experience during the 2017/18 season.

The Argentine was used primarily in the League Cup games last season, but he did earn his chance in the Premier League owing to injuries to both Petr Cech and David Ospina. Martinez featured in the 3-0 victory over West Ham in early April, but his second league performance was not up to scratch as he conceded a penalty in the 3-0 beating at the hands of Crystal Palace.

The Gunners have now officially confirmed that Martinez will be plying his trade with Getafe on a temporary basis as he looks to push for a probable World Cup spot with Argentina with whom he earned a senior call-up back in 2011.

"The 24-year-old made five first team appearances for us last season, keeping three clean sheets. He featured twice in the Premier League in 2016/17, impressing and keeping a clean sheet in our 3-0 home win over West Ham United.

The Argentine has amassed over 50 career appearances since joining us from Independiente in 2010, during which time has also enjoyed loan spells with Wolves, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United. Emi now heads to Spain to gain further first team experience. We’d like to wish him well for the year ahead," the statement read.

Martinez put pen to paper on a fresh four-year deal at the Emirates in November last year, and Arsene Wenger has previously cited that the shot-stopper has the potential to become the Gunners' number one in the future. Since arriving from Independiente in 2010, Martinez has been sent out on loan spells to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United, making 52 appearances in the process. Former Gunner Wojciech Szczesny developed his overall game through his two-year loan stint with AS Roma, and Martinez could take it as an example as he aims to become the Gunners' first-choice ahead of Cech and Ospina in the future.