Buendia Set for Reward as Aston Villa Look to Secure Key Midfielder

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Aston Villa are poised to open contract talks with Emiliano Buendia, the midfielder who has emerged as a central figure in their recent revival under Unai Emery.   After a difficult start to the season, Villa have bounced back impressively, and Buendia’s influence has been key — four goals and two assists in the league underline just how vital he has become to both Villa’s domestic resurgence and their encouraging start in Europe.

Transcript

00:01As the Villa are poised to open contract talks with Emiliano Buendia, the midfielder who has

00:05emerged as a central figure in their recent revival under Unai Emery. After a difficult

00:11start to the season, Villa have bounced back impressively and Buendia's influence has been

00:16key. Four goals and two assists in the league underlying just how vital he has become to both

00:22Villa's domestic resurgence and their encouraging start in Europe. The Argentine who joined Villa

00:28from Norwich in 2021 for a club record £33 million is finally establishing himself as a

00:34first-team asset at Villa Park. Questions over his future, once raised amid speculation that

00:40Emery might have moved on without him, appear to have been put to rest. Buendia's form this season

00:46has even rekindled hope of an international return after more than three years out of Argentina's

00:51plans, with the tension turning towards next year's World Cup. Buendia's journey at Villa

00:57has not been straightforward. He's impressed on a rival, winning the Championship Player

01:02of the Year at Norwich and was initially a regular under Steven Gerrard and Emery. Yet

01:08his 2023-24 season was disrupted by a pre-season ACL injury, ruling him out for the campaign, while

01:14the team returned to Champions League football for the first time since 1983.

01:20Last season, Buendia struggled for minutes, appearing just 12 times from the bench before a loan spell

01:25at Bayer Leverkusen. Villa's financial restrictions had fuelled speculation that Buendia might be

01:31sold, with Leeds United reportedly willing to pay around £16 million, and even Birmingham City linked.

01:38However, his performances have shifted the narrative. Villa's are reported to be offering him an improved

01:44contract, extending his deal beyond the current expiry in summer of 2027, and presumably a pay rise.

01:51Securing Buendia would be a significant statement of intent from Emre, reinforcing his squad and

01:58potentially closing the door on rival interests from Birmingham City. In a transfer market where moves

02:05between the two Midlands clubs have been rare, such a renewal would underline Buendia's value and Villa's

02:11ambition moving forward.

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