Aston Villa boss gives Leeds United permission for Emi Buendia and Daniel Farke reunion
After Leeds United were told Emi Buendia would be their 'ideal' signing, manager Unai Emery has opened the door to the Argentine's January exit from Aston Villa.
Buendia, now 28, made over a century of appearances for Daniel Farke when both were with Norwich City between 2018 and 2021. He would leave in a £33m deal for Villa, where he has suffered mixed injury fortunes, including a cruciate ligament problem that has meant he has not started a Premier League match in over 18 months.
Leeds wished for a loan last summer though it never came. Since beginning only two of 17 matches in all competitions this term, Emery has freshly told our colleagues at Birmingham Live that the playmaker could make a switch in the coming weeks.
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"Always we are trying to improve the team. The players who are here with us, always we are supporting them. He had last year a long injury but he started this year progressively getting better.
"He didn’t 100 per cent in the season until now. But now he is playing more minutes and helping the team. But maybe he can have the possibility to leave.
"For him, it could be something where he can play more, get more minutes, get confidence again and being comfortable playing again in the starting XI. Of course, now he is helping us and I am happy with his attitude."
Asked if Villa wouldn't stand in his way if he wanted to depart, Emery replied: "Of course, playing more minutes, he can feel better."
This statement arrives shortly after Stephen Warnock claimed that Buendia is the 'ideal' signing to add to Daniel Farke's promotion push.
"You would look at someone like [Emi] Buendia at Villa who is not getting the game time he needs and needs half-a-season of play to get his confidence back. He’s someone who would be absolutely ideal for Leeds," he said.
Since the summer the situation has developed, with Villa aware of ESPN Argentina's report of River Plate interest from Buendia's homeland.