Facundo Buonanotte situation explained as three Leicester City players linked with exits
Brighton do not have the capacity to recall Facundo Buonanotte amid suggestions the Leicester City loanee could return to the south coast.
City’s best outfield player under Steve Cooper, Buonanotte has started just four of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 12 games in charge, with Bilal El Khannouss overtaking the Argentinian as City’s playmaker-in-chief. It’s been to the frustration of supporters, who want Buonanotte on the pitch, albeit he has underwhelmed in his recent appearances as a substitute.
There were reports last month of a heated conversation between van Nistelrooy and the 20-year-old, and there have been suggestions on deadline day that the attacking midfielder would be happy to cancel his loan. Brighton would then loan him out again.
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But that would have to be City’s decision. It’s understood that Buonanotte has played enough minutes in the first half of the season that a recall would not be possible.
At the start of last month, van Nistelrooy was asked if he'd had confirmation that Buonanotte would be at City for the full campaign and that his status wouldn't change. The manager said with a smile: “Yes, correct.”
If City were to cancel the deal, they would open up another Premier League loan spot, of which only two are permitted. Crystal Palace’s Odsonne Edouard is the other.
Buonanotte is not the only player to be linked away from City on deadline day. More talk around Caleb Okoli heading back to Italy has emerged, but it’s understood he is going nowhere.
Plus, there’s been talk of Wilfred Ndidi wanting a move to Atletico Madrid. But the midfielder, who is due to return to full team training this week, is extremely unlikely to be let go.
Asked just over a week ago if he would be willing to let Ndidi go, van Nistelrooy replied: “No, of course not. Wilfred is a key player and person in the squad and in the club and I’m glad he is nearly there to help the team again.
“We know how much we’ve missed him and we know we need him. Wilf is key in the coming months, a key part of this team that can get us out of this situation.”
