Leeds 'on red alert' as major Emi Buendia news emerges at Aston Villa

Unai Emery saying publicly that Emi Buendia will be allowed to leave Aston Villa should put Leeds United on red alert.

Buendia played the best football of his career under Daniel Farke's tutelage during the pair's time together at Norwich City, and is a player whom the United boss remains fond of in this transfer window.

The Argentine's game-time since a season-ending ACL injury last term has fallen off a cliff at Villa Park, and Emery's comments on a potential departure before 3 February leave the Whites with a clear choice.

In quotes reported by BirminghamLive (18 January), Emery said: "He is playing more minutes and helping the team. But maybe he can have the possibility to leave.

"For him, it could be something where he can play more, get more minutes, get confidence again and being comfortable playing again in the starting XI.

"Of course, now he is helping us and I am happy with his attitude – [but] of course, playing more minutes, he can feel better."

Leeds United have to push button on Emi Buendia transfer

The Peacocks have regularly used Brenden Aaronson in the number 10 role this term since Georginio Rutter's exit to Brighton, but Buendia is seen as a signing who could take Farke's side to the next level.

Buendia's last season in the Championship ended with the 28-year-old being crowned as the player of the year, as Farke's Norwich side stormed to the title with a whopping 97 points on the board.

Farke's United are 53 points the way there after 26 matches this term, sitting second behind Sheffield United with a game in hand, but that doesn't mean they can afford to not strengthen before 3 February.

Although the two extreme ends of the pitch are seen as the areas in greater need of addressing, with Illan Meslier error-prone and Patrick Bamford's fitness having become completely unreliable of late.

Signing Buendia could prove to be the move which decides promotion in the Peacocks' favour if he can re-discover his career-best form, and there's no manager out there who can unlock that quite like Farke.

In other Leeds news, another of Farke's former players "dreams" of a move abroad with his club considering a transfer.

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