Aston Villa’s all-time Premier League top scorer Gabriel Agbonlahor claims goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is “one of the top five in the world”.

The Villa Stopper was nominated for the prestigious Yashin Trophy after showing sensational form after leaving Arsenal for Villa Park on a contract worth just £ 22million last year.

Asked about Martinez’s place in the world, Agbonlahor said Football initiate : “You have to look at the overall skills of goalkeepers.

“It’s different now, it’s not just about how good you are at saving shots, it’s about how good you are with your feet.

“If we’re talking about being good with your feet, Ederson is the best. But he’s not the best at stopping fire.

“For my goalies, I would prefer them to be able to make saves rather than being 10 out of 10 with their feet.

“Martinez is a great shooter and great with his feet. He’s not Ederson with his feet but he’s more than smug which is perfect.

“For me, I would definitely place him in the top five in the world.

“He’s starting for Argentina, he plays every game. Messi is making these comments because he probably thinks they are building a squad to be competitive at the World Cup. It’s not just about having good attacking players, they now have better midfielders, defenders and a goalie.

“They probably missed a better goalie and it has cost them over the years. Martinez has shown in Copa America that having a top goalkeeper gives you more chances to win these competitions.

READ MORE: Simon Jordan takes aim at Aston Villa and Premier League rivals over Newcastle takeover saga

READ MORE: Bailey, Martinez, Luiz – four issues Aston Villa must tackle ahead of Wolves clash