Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez admits he didn't want to leave Independiente for Arsenal in 2010.

Martinez admitted he made the decision to join the North London club for £1.1million to provide for his family as they were struggling financially at the time.

He told El Pais: "Arsenal came to look for me and Pepe Santoro [a coach at Independiente] told me that the train only passes once in a lifetime.

"My family and my agents thought the same. So, the decision was more for them than anything else.

"I didn't want to go. I did not regret it, but I wanted to play in Independiente. For a while, I thought: 'If I stayed, in two years I will make my debut. [My family] lacked a little financially. I did it more for that than sports."