Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has become Reading’s fourth loan signing of the month.
The 26-year-old joins the Royals on a short-term deal from Arsenal, following Ovie Ejaria (Liverpool), Lewis Baker (Chelsea) and Nelson Oliveira (Norwich) through the door since Jose Gomes arrived.
Martinez has spent this season as third choice stopper at Arsenal behind Bernd Leno and Petr Cech, but did keep a clean sheet in his only appearance for the first team, against Qarabag in the Europa League.
The Argentine has made nine senior appearances for the Gunners in total since joining them in 2011 and also has Championship experience having played on loan at Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday.
“I am delighted we have been able to attract a goalkeeper of Emi’s undoubted ability to Reading,” said boss Gomes.
“He will provide excellent competition for the goalkeeper’s position and adds quality to our group. I look forward to working with him on the training ground for the first time later today.”
Martinez will train for the first time today, alongside fellow new boy Oliveira, ahead of the crunch clash at Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday evening.
He has also played at Madejski Stadium once before, as Arsenal goalkeeper during the infamous 7-5 League Cup clash back in 2012.
Attention is now turning to moving players on this month with Marc McNulty and Vito Mannone both pushed further down the pecking order following the arrivals this week while David Meyler has also been frozen out under Gomes.
The Royals could still look to add one more player to the squad before next week’s deadline, likely to be another loan, despite already having five loanees on the books with this month’s quartet of arrivals joining Saeid Ezatolahi in the squad.
Championship rules permit just five loan players per matchday squad, but Ezatolahi is still a way off returning from injury.
