By Nick Ware

6th Jun, 2021 | 4:05pm

Beren Cross marvels at Victor Orta and Leeds United amid Aston Villa deal for Emiliano Buendia

Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross is delighted with Victor Orta’s work at Leeds United despite a Premier League rival agreeing on terms for a reported Whites target.

According to the BBC, Aston Villa have agreed a club-record deal worth an initial £33million for Norwich City star Emiliano Buendia, who has been linked with Leeds on numerous occasions, including last month by Foot Mercato.

Despite possibly being usurped by the Midlands giants, Cross is adamant that the Whites should have no regrets.

He wrote on Leeds Live: “While the transfer underlines Villa’s ambition and faith in Buendia, from a Leeds United perspective it further stresses supreme work done by Victor Orta in the transfer window.

“Regardless of whether £33m, plus add-ons, proves to be a good deal in this one example or not, the price is the price and it’s almost double what Leeds paid for Raphinha.

“Even if it does prove to be a good deal in the eyes of Dean Smith, it only highlights the eye for talent and eye for a deal Leeds have in Orta and his scouting department.”

Cross also wrote on his personal Twitter profile: “Buendia could prove a super deal for Villa, but when you think he will cost more than Raphinha and Koch combined, it’s hard not to marvel again at Leeds United’s strategy and execution.”

Genius

Buendia is undoubtedly a terrific player that could be a big hit at Villa, but it’s a staggering amount to pay for a player who scored just once in 36 Premier League appearances during the 2019/20 campaign.

Of course there was much more to his game than goals during that season, and residing in a lowly side did not help matters, but it just goes to show how much more expensive it is to recruit from English sides, irrespective of nationality.

English players tend to come at a premium due to the rules on the minimum number of home-grown talents in Premier League squads, but it seems that clubs are now raising prices through the roof for their foreign talents as well.

That’s probably because they are likely to be more ‘settled’ in the country than, say, a player who has never lived in England before.

It’s also probably due to their rude financial situation, with most clubs in the top-tier, or major sides in the Championship, able to withstand pressure from rival clubs, even the ‘elite’ ones.

Therefore there is less value to be had here, and that’s why the likes of Orta have targeted players playing in other European countries.

It’s a plan that has paid off handsomely, with Raphinha in particular someone that has surely trebled, or possibly quadrupled, their value since arriving at Elland Road.

In other Leeds United news, the Whites will make a major decision on the future of this ‘Outrageous’ Under-23s star this summer.