SC Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu is set to depart the club this summer, and Aston Villa is pursuing him. Aston Villa is monitoring the situation and has made contact as they look for a backup for Emi Martinez. Talks are intensifying, and Atubolu's preference is for the Premier League. According to German sources, he is expected to leave in the coming week. Freiburg have recruited a replacement in Mio Backhaus, which indicates they are prepared to sell the goalkeeper, who is valued between €25-30million (£21-26m). Sources indicate Atubolu has rejected approaches from Hull City and Coventry City, preferring a more established top-flight destination. Earlier links to clubs such as AC Milan, Juventus and Newcastle United have diminished. The player is waiting for the right opportunity in England and sources say he will not make a move he considers to be wrong.

According to Fussballdaten, Aston Villa are competing with Bournemouth, Inter Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt to sign Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu. The goalkeeper is valued at €25-30million (£21.2-£25.5m). Villa are said to be preparing an attractive offer and have intensified negotiations. The club reportedly views the German as a candidate who is almost ideal and would fit well into their system, although it is suggested they are looking for a second-choice keeper.

Aston Villa is still monitoring the situation of Noah Atubolu.

Noah Atubolu, a 24-year-old German goalkeeper, hopes for a series of related transfers in the market as several English clubs, including Aston Villa, Newcastle United, FC Chelsea, and FC Liverpool, could begin searching for a goalkeeper. However, Atubolu is not a primary target for these clubs. There are currently no concrete offers for the player, and no interested party has formally approached Freiburg to start discussions. Atubolu, whose contract with the Bundesliga club runs until 2027, is unlikely to play for the team again after they signed Mio Backhaus as their new number one. The German U21 international, with 22 caps, made 34 appearances in the Bundesliga last season and has a current market value of €25.00m, according to Transfermarkt. In February 2026, it was reported that SC Freiburg's asking price was €30 million, while various reports in March and April 2026 mentioned potential fees between €10 million and €25 million.