Emiliano Martinez: Who Is Arsenal's Champions League Debutant Goalkeeper?

Not even the goalkeepers are safe from Arsenal’s injury crisis. With Wojciech Szczesny suspended for the midweek trip to Anderlecht, Arsene Wenger had hoped to be able to call upon Colombian international David Ospina.

However, the summer signing is now one of the many players clogging up the Arsenal physio room. Instead, Wenger will be forced to hand a Champions League debut to youngster Emiliano Martinez.

Martinez’s association with Arsenal goes all the way back to a trial period in the summer of 2009. At the time, Martinez was just 16 and the first-choice goalkeeper for Argentina’s U-17 side. He was recommended to Arsenal by respected goalkeeping coach Miguel Angel Santoro, who accompanied Martinez during his trial at London Colney.

Immediately, his superb reflexes and preternatural ability to read the game were evident. He was an intimidating physical presence, too: Even as a teenager, Martinez stood at 6’3”. Arsene Wenger was hugely impressed, and the club came to an agreement for Martinez to move to England full-time.

He was made to wait a little while before making the move official. Although Martinez began training with Arsenal almost immediately, work-permit problems meant that his registration was held with Independiente until July 2010.

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Martinez formally joined Arsenal from Argentinian club Independiente as a 17-year old in 2010. The deal was structured according to several incentives, several of which are still being fulfilled.

As recently as August of this year, ESPN Deportes (Spanish language) reported that Independiente received a further €300,000 after Martinez was named on the substitutes bench for the Premier League game with Everton. That takes the total payments made on Martinez to €1.3 million.

After his 10th start for Arsenal, his old club will be due a further (and final) €500,000.

That’s still some way off. Martinez has only made a couple of appearances in Arsenal’s senior team.

The spring-heeled stopper made his first-team bow in a League Cup game against Coventry City in 2012.

Although he had a relatively quiet start to life with the Gunners, he won’t forget his next game in a hurry. Martinez started Arsenal’s fixture in the following round of the cup and endured something of a personal nightmare as Arsenal beat Reading 7-5 in a tumultuous encounter.

Martinez’s performance was littered with errors as nerves took hold. That’s inevitable for a young goalkeeper. It is one of the positions on the field where experience is absolutely essential.

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Fortunately, Martinez has since enjoyed a successful loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday. Originally joining as cover for Chris Kirkland, Martinez’s impressive performances in training saw him oust the former England international as No. 1.

Martinez spoke positively about the influence Kirkland had on his career, telling the Sheffield Telegraph:

"

He is an amazing goalkeeper; Terry Burton (Arsenal coach and former Wednesday assistant manager) told me Chris is really good, I would be on the bench and would have to play really well to get in. I think I have done that; the club gave me my chance and I think I am showing in every game I can be Sheffield Wednesday’s number one.

"

Martinez will be fully aware that being Sheffield Wednesday’s No. 1 is no guarantee of being ready to assume the same responsibility at Arsenal.

Wednesday night’s Champions League match will be a huge test for the young Argentine. Now is the time for him to show why Arsenal have invested €1.3 million and the best part of five years in his development.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout the 2014/15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.