Facundo Buonanotte completed a loan move to Leeds United from Brighton last week and was in the Whites squad in their 1-0 win over Fulham at Elland Road on Saturday.
The Argentinian attacking midfielder would have joined Leeds last summer had Chelsea not hijacked the move and signed him on loan for the rest of the season.
However, he struggled to get any meaningful minutes at Chelsea in the first half of the season, and Brighton agreed to recall him before loaning him out to Leeds for the rest of the campaign.
Chelsea’s decision to hijack Leeds’ move for Buonanotte last summer was odd, and more information is now out, which could infuriate Leeds and their supporters.
Leeds United may feel angry when they learn about the plans Chelsea had for Facundo Buonanotte
Leeds were left scrambling once they missed out on Buonanotte towards the end of last summer and ended up signing no one on deadline day.
However, Chelsea’s decision to sign the Argentinian looks even more infuriating to Leeds after what The Athletic has just revealed about the club’s plans.
The Athletic’s Simon Johnson has claimed Chelsea never really intended to keep the winger for the whole season, and the plan was always to let him go in January.
Buonanotte was only signed as cover for Cole Palmer, who was struggling with an injury at the start of the season, and he was never going to stay the entire season.
It is unclear whether the player himself was informed about the plans, as he might have likely opted to move to Leeds in the summer.
Leeds have their man, but Chelsea’s move in the summer showed the amount of sway big clubs have in the market, even when they do not need a player.
Will Leeds sign Buonanotte on a permanent deal?
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder is yet to play a minute of football since joining Leeds, but there is already talk of him signing a long-term contract at the end of his loan spell.
Leeds wanted to sign him since last summer, which shows that the recruitment team and Farke rate him and were more than keen to take him to Elland Road.
| Statistic (per 90) | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Tackles | 2.55 | 98 |
| Interceptions | 0.75 | 92 |
| Blocks | 1.50 | 93 |
| Clearances | 1.05 | 83 |
| Aerials won | 1.95 | 95 |
Buonanotte will now have to impress on the pitch and show why Leeds were so keen to sign him. His performances will dictate whether the club buy him.
However, it is also unclear whether he will be able to adapt quickly, as there is little time to get used to the setup in the middle of the season.
A lot will depend on whether Brighton will be ready to accept a reasonable offer for him in the summer, as Leeds are unlikely to want to agree to a huge fee for the Argentinian.
Buonanotte should have a word with his agent!