Facundo Buonanotte negotiations underway as Leeds United face last-minute Chelsea roadblock
Leeds United are keen on signing Brighton attacking midfielder Facundo Buonanotte ahead of the transfer deadline.
Buonanotte appeared close to joining Leeds, leaving the South Coast club on a season-long loan for regular first-team minutes.
Despite Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff arriving at Elland Road this summer, Daniel Farke is still looking for another midfielder in the coming days.
Brenden Aaronson’s abject form has seen the Whites pursue the services of Buonanotte.
Chelsea work on deal to sign Facundo Buonanotte
Everything appeared to be in place for Buonanotte to join Leeds, but there was a snag on Thursday.
The Argentina international appeared set to jet in to finalise his transfer on 28 August, but his flight got cancelled.
The 20-year-old was set to fly into Leeds on Friday, but things may now get complicated as Chelsea have entered the race.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are keen on the attacking midfielder and negotiations are already underway with Brighton over a deal.
Leeds United may need to prepare alternatives
It is prudent for Leeds to prepare alternatives to Buonanotte, as Chelsea are working on a deal to sign the 20-year-old Brighton attacking midfielder.
This potential hijack could tempt Buonanotte with the allure of Champions League football, alongside significantly higher wages and the security of a guaranteed Premier League stay without the risk of relegation.
- Buonanotte has played for Argentina, making two caps
- He is capable of playing on the right wing
- Despite being 20, he’s already featured in 71 Premier League games
In contrast, Leeds, newly promoted and already facing relegation threats after a 5-0 thrashing by Arsenal and a mixed start, offer a high-stakes survival battle that may not appeal to the Argentina international.
With talks for a loan to Elland Road accelerating but now at risk, Farke must pivot to alternatives to bolster attacking creativity before the deadline, ensuring depth amid the Whites’ precarious position.
Hopefully, the hierarchy have other targets they can begin to work on and they could soon make moves for them as there’s not long left in the window.
It was always going to be tough for Leeds to compete with established Premier League clubs for transfer targets and they would’ve thought of contingency plans.
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