How much Leeds United may need to pay Gus Hamer or Emi Buendia in wages | OneFootball

The Whites have been linked with both so far this summer

Leeds United are focused on strengthening the core of their side as they embark on a return to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season.

Typically, this means that the Whites will likely be in the market for a central defender, centre midfielder, striker and, above all, an attacking midfielder.

Brenden Aaronson came under fire from Leeds fans across the season due to a lack of creativity and ability to make things happen as the primary 'number 10' for Daniel Farke's side. Out of the 95 goals that the Whites scored last season, the American assisted just two.

Therefore, Leeds fans are hoping that the decision makers will bring in a new creative midfielder to either take the burden off of Aaronson or to replace him altogether.

TBR Football have revealed that Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer and Aston Villa's Emi Buendia are two names linked with a move to Elland Road, which doesn't come as a surprise to Leeds fans, with the pairing being linked throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Football League World has researched how much their current clubs pay the midfield duo per week, to see if they would be attainable buys for Leeds United ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Emi Buendia's Aston Villa wage

Emi Buendia recently signed a contract extension at Villa Park before he headed out on loan to Bayer Leverkusen for the second half of the 2024/25 season.

Per The Athletic, the 28-year-old Argentinian's deal was set to run out at the end of the upcoming season, but now his deal runs out in 2027, and Capology estimate that this new contract has seen Buendia take a significant pay cut from the one he previously held at Villa Park.

He is estimated to be earning £37,500 per week now, which is half the £75,000 he was said to earn previously.

Aston Villa have been needing to find ways to generate income for a few seasons now as they aim to continue to compete at the top of the Premier League, seen through sales to the likes of Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby.

Halving Buendia's current contract is a good way to do that, but it also means that Leeds perhaps wouldn't need to break the bank to bring in the former Norwich City star, as Villa may look to part ways this summer regardless.

Gustavo Hamer's Sheffield United contract

Gustavo Hamer's current contract at Bramall Lane, which runs out in 2027, similarly to Buendia, is also of a similar wage, with the Dutchman earning £30,000 a week, according to Capology's estimates.

However, unlike Buendia's £37,500, which represents one of the lower amounts in the Aston Villa squad, Hamer's incoming places him joint second in the earners list at Sheffield United.

And, with only loanees Hamza Choudhury and Ben Brereton Diaz, alongside out-of-contract striker Rhian Brewster, estimated to be earning more, Hamer technically is among the highest current earners for the recently fallen play-off finalists.

Therefore, Leeds United may have a bit more of a struggle to prize the 27-year-old away from their Yorkshire rivals, and a larger wage may be what is needed to convince Hamer to force his way to the Premier League.

The Blades will be under no pressure to sell their star man this summer, whereas Villa will likely look to offload a few fringe players to avoid having to depart with any more of their key men, such as Morgan Rodgers and Jacob Ramsey.

In short, Leeds would be able to afford to front the wages of both attacking midfielders, but bringing Buendia to Elland Road may prove an easier task than it would be for Hamer.