Amid doubts about the future of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, Aston Villa has joined Man Utd and Liverpool in monitoring Bart Verbruggen, a 23-year-old Netherlands international goalkeeper from Brighton & Hove Albion. Verbruggen has 28 caps for his country. He joined Brighton in July 2023 for a reported €20 million, and his contract runs until 2028. In the 2025/2026 Premier League season, he made 38 appearances and conceded 46 goals. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €40.00m. In May 2026, reports cited a £50 million (approximately €59M) price tag set by Brighton.