Credit: Imago

Declan Carr

Fri 20 March 2026 19:10, UK

Facundo Buonanotte’s Leeds United nightmare will be over soon, luckily for all parties.

Buonanotte signed for the Elland Road side in the winter transfer window on loan from Brighton, but he has struggled to force his way into Daniel Farke’s squad.

The Argentine attacking midfielder has made just three appearances for the Whites, for a total of 69 minutes of action.

His deal with the Peacocks is a temporary one, he will return to his parent club at the end of the current campaign.

Farke and Co took a gamble on bringing Buonanotte to Leeds, but it has clearly not paid off for anyone involved in the transfer.

Do Leeds have a buy option for Buonanotte?

The deal to bring Buonanotte to Leeds was a straight loan, so there will be no option to sign him permanently in the summer.

The Whites would have to launch a bid and meet a figure which the Seagulls would ask for, rather than having a pre-agreed amount in the loan deal.

There seems little likelihood that they will do that, given how his current spell in LS11 has gone so far.

What is his contract situation with Brighton?

Buonanotte is contracted to Brighton until June 2028, owing to a four-year contract that he signed in August 2024.

Given that another loan spell has not gone to plan, it seems as though the AMEX Stadium side will have a decision to make over a further extension in the next few years.

His stint with the Yorkshire side will not have helped convince his parent club that he can succeed in English football.

Buonanotte has played just three times for the Whites, and has featured in just one of the last six Premier League matchday squads.

What has Farke said about Buonanotte?

Daniel Farke’s stance on the 21-year-old is clear, he was not expecting him to come in and change the world, he just wanted extra squad depth.

Speaking about the addition in February, he said: “We haven’t signed Facundo to improve our starting XI straight away, we have signed him to improve the depth in our squad.

“We said, ‘We’ll give you the spotlight, we’ll give you the stage and all the support, and an arm around your shoulder. We don’t expect you to cut this league into pieces. It’s step by step. If it works out, great. If not, it’s a loan for both sides.'”

That suggests that the Whites will not be in the market, if there is one for Buonanotte in the summer, as Farke clearly does not think he is a game-changing player.

The 49ers Enterprises group would be better focusing attention elsewhere when the market reopens.