Leeds United learn of fresh Emi Buendia rival as 'transfer list announced' for ex-Man Utd boss
Leeds United remain interested in the midfielder who could leave Aston Villa this month.
Leeds United could face fresh European competition for Emi Buendia with reports naming him as one of several Premier League players on the transfer list of Besiktas.
Buendia was among a number of attacking midfield options Leeds tried to sign over the summer, with Daniel Farke keen to replace the creativity Georginio Rutter took with him to Brighton. CEO Angus Kinnear confirmed an approach was made for the Argentinian who opted to stay with Villa at the time, but could now leave with minutes hard to come by under Unai Emery.
While Leeds maintain they are expecting a quiet January window, interest in Buendia remains and the 28-year-old would significantly improve Farke’s current group - one of two caveats to the Whites boss also warning against expectations of a busy month. But there is likely to be plenty of top-flight interest and reports from Turkey suggest Besiktas are now eyeing a mid-season move.
Besiktas eye Buendia
Having appointed former Manchester United and Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager last week, Besiktas are expected to back him in the January transfer market. The Turkish giants - they are one of the ‘big three’ - are enduring a disappointing campaign with four defeats in 19 leaving them sixth.
but there is plenty of time to improve and Besiktas are also still fighting for a place in the Europa League knockout stages, with club chiefs hopeful an aggressive January can help Solskjaer. As such, Turkish outlet AS Marca report on a ‘transfer list’ full of big names including Buendia.
The out-of-favour Villa man is named alongside Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron, suggesting one could arrive rather than both. The list also includes some of Solskjaer’s former Manchester United players such as Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial.
Kinnear has made no secret of the difficulty in convincing players to drop into the Championship, and Leeds’ second-tier status was thought to be a sticking point over the summer. Top-flight and European interest will do little to help their chances, then, and Turkey is not the only possible destination for Villa’s creative midfielder.
Spanish Buendia interest
Offers from elsewhere could prove a major issue for Leeds and the belief inside Elland Road is Buendia will move to Spain, where a number of La Liga outfits are in the market for attacking reinforcements. Among them, as Spanish football expert and Opta editor Jamie Kemp told the YEP, are the Argentinian’s former club Getafe and Carlos Corberan’s Valencia.
Leeds’ best chance of landing Buendia will likely come later in the month, if the aforementioned interest fails to progress. It is at that point Farke might look to lean on his previous relationship with the former Norwich City talisman, although he would not be drawn on speculation in the aftermath of Sunday’s 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
“I never comment about players under contract for other teams,” Farke said in response to a question about Buendia. “I wouldn't expect another manager to make a comment about my players. If he's not in a white shirt or a yellow shirt we don't speak about them. We just speak about business when it's done. I think he just spoke in general about this, the door is perhaps open.
“I've also read the comments because I'm interested in football and also the Premier League. I think he just spoke in general and he has not said the door is open for Leeds United, he's said it's open for a loan. Obviously I've worked with Emi Buendia in former years, he was one of my best players, I really rate him but I don't comment on the situation of a player right now playing for a different side.”