New Emi Buendia transfer detail revealed as Leeds United eye Aston Villa ace | OneFootball

Emi Buendia is the subject of plenty of interest from Leeds United, but Aston Villa are demanding an obligation-to-buy clause.

Emi Buendia could be a transfer target for Leeds United in January, but they may have to pay for an obligation to buy the Aston Villa playmaker if they wish to secure his services on loan.

The Whites’ chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed that Leeds made a move to sign Buendia in the summer, but Villa were reluctant to let the Argentinian international leave at the time. That could be another matter this month, albeit Graham Bailey has since revealed a hefty obligation may be required to land him.

The January transfer window offers the West Yorkshire side, and indeed their fellow title candidates, an opportunity to strengthen their ranks ahead of the business end of the campaign, while Aston Villa's Buendia could be set for a move to Elland Road after Unai Emery stated that the playmaker would be allowed to depart this January.

It's come as no surprise that the Yorkshire Evening Post state that the Whites retain their long-standing interest in the 28-year-old, while Football Insider reported last month that the Whites were still keen on making their swoop for Buendia, having failed to land his services last summer.

Bailey has explained Villa want an obligation-to-buy clause in Buendia’s deal with Leeds, meaning that if Leeds were promoted, they would be locked into signing Buendia on a permanent basis, irrespective of how he plays between now and the end of the campaign.

Recent months have seen game time limited for the Argentine, who has earned just 71 minutes of Premier League action across 11 appearances. With 18 months left on his Villa contract, Leeds may prefer a more low-risk solution. The obligation could be an ‘option-to-buy’ instead.

Emery claimed over the weekend that he wouldn’t stand in Buendia's way if interest arrived this month amid his lack of playing time for the Midlands outfit. However, following that, Buendia started in Villa's Champions League defeat to AS Monaco on Tuesday night.

Playing 86 minutes during the 1-0 loss, many of a Leeds persuasion perhaps assumed he was back in the frame under Emery. However, the Villa boss then doubled down on his initial statement, outlining Buendia's availability this month:

Even with that being said, Leeds may not be keen to tie themselves into a large fee for Buendia, regardless of promotion or not. While his quality is difficult to ignore at second tier level as well.

The last time he played Championship football, he notched 31 goal contributions and built a brilliant partnership with Teemu Pukki. He also took home the Championship's Player of the Year award and his impact could be the differential Leeds need.

An obligation could be a stumbling block for Leeds in Buendia chase

Should Villa facilitate the Argentina international's move to Elland Road, it would mean that the attacking midfielder will be reunited with Farke, who he worked under at Norwich. Farke's men are already the Championship's top scorers, so the potential addition of Buendia could have devastating consequences for their Leeds' title rivals.

Buendia's Canaries stint indicates that, when he is working under Farke, he is a player who can be a real difference-maker during a Championship title race. However, the question of a large obligation is another matter, given Buendia's injury issues.

Not only that, but the 28-year-old's move to Villa Park back in 2021 has not been much of a success, as he has never scored more than five goals in a single season for the West Midlands outfit. He has obvious quality but there is more of a risk element in the Premier League, when accounting for both his output and fitness concerns.