Aston Villa Reach Agreement For Buendia’s Transfer

Aston Villa have reached an agreement for the transfer of Emiliano Buendia.

As Emiliano is currently in the Argentina national team’s biosecure bubble, preparing for a World Cup qualifying match with Colombia on Tuesday evening, he will undergo a medical and complete the transfer after the game.

The club confirmed: “Aston Villa and Norwich City have reached an agreement for the transfer of Emiliano Buendia.

“As Emiliano is currently in the Argentina national team’s biosecure bubble, preparing for a World Cup qualifying match with Colombia on Tuesday evening, he will undergo a medical and complete the transfer after the game.”

Buendia, 24, was named Championship player of the season for helping the Canaries to the title with 15 goals and 16 assists.

His imminent capture for Villa will eclipse the £28million, plus add-ons, they paid Brentford for striker Ollie Watkins last summer.

Attacking midfielder Buendia is set to become Villa boss Dean Smith’s first signing of the summer.

Smith admitted last week that Jack Grealish’s absence earlier this year underlined their need for more creativity as Villa won just three of 12 games without their skipper.

Smith said recently: “We feel again let’s go and get quality over quantity this year.

“We dropped off massively when Jack came out of the team in terms of our creativity, so we know that is an area we must improve on to help Jack when is playing or if he has to miss a game or two.”

Buendia has played 121 matches for Norwich since joining from Getafe in a bargain deal worth around £1.5m in 2018.

But the promoted Canaries are a self-funding club willing to sell their prized assets to then reinvest in new talent.

Buendia had been linked with a move to the Gunners, who made advances to take him to London.

But Villa made a more concerted effort – led by ‘keeper Emiliano Martinez, a close friend of Buendia – and made clear where they saw him fitting in their set-up next term.

Villa are also chasing Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse.

Smith likes Ward-Prowse’s set-piece prowess after eight league goals for Southampton this season including two superb free-kicks in a 4-3 win at Villa Park.

The star also had seven assists in the league campaign and scored his first goal for England in the 5-0 win over San Marino in March.