Facundo Buonanotte made his long-awaited Leeds United debut on Monday night against Everton.
The Argentinian was brought on by Daniel Farke with Leeds desperately hanging on for a draw after conceding an equaliser courtesy of Thierno Barry.
Perhaps this game state did not do Buonanotte many favours when it comes to allowing him to make a good impression; his introduction coincided with Leeds switching to a 4-3-3, which gave them the control they needed to see out the dying stages of the match.
Buonanotte has since put out a statement since making his debut for the Whites, with supporters being curious as to what the 21-year-old has to say.
Facundo Buonanotte ‘happy’ after making Leeds United debut
Buonanotte was signed by Leeds on loan from Brighton until the end of the season, with some reports claiming Leeds are already looking ahead to the summer to make Buonanotte’s move a permanent one.
Whether the youngster will be worth the hefty transfer fee he is likely to command remains to be seen; however, Leeds will be glad to have his services available to them in the second half of the Premier League campaign to help in their fight against relegation.
Speaking in a post on his official Instagram account, Buonanotte shared his thoughts on the game against Everton.
“Happy with my first game in these colours. Let’s keep working! See you on Saturday at Elland Road.”
Buonanotte will have a baptism of fire if he is handed his Elland Road debut at the weekend, with the Whites set to face top of the league Arsenal, who handed Leeds a brutal 5-0 loss in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium back in August.
READ MORE: £16m Leeds United star snubs Elland Road exit in January – 49ers must stamp their authority – The Leeds Press
Facundo Buonanotte’s Leeds United debut by the numbers
Although he didn’t have much gametime against Everton, there were still positive signs from Leeds’ latest acquisition.
The fact that Farke also deployed him on the right wing perhaps shows that is where the German manager sees Buonanotte being utilised for Leeds more often than not.
We have yet to see him as part of Farke’s 5 at the back system, and whether Farke trusts Buonanotte enough defensively to play in this formation instead of a Brenden Aaronson, for example, remains to be seen.
Facundo Buonanotte vs Everton – Match Stats
| Stat | Facundo Buonanotte |
|---|---|
| Minutes | 10 |
| Shots | 1 |
| Accurate Passes | 2 |
| Defensive Contributions | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Recoveries | 1 |
If Buonanotte wants to earn a permanent move to West Yorkshire, he must continue to attempt to impress Farke and break into the starting XI, which is not an easy task, considering the German manager’s record with certain past players at Leeds.
READ MORE: Leeds United ‘edge closer’ to club-record Jorgen Strand Larsen deal – The Leeds Press
