Chris Davies is expected to miss out on one of his top transfer targetsplaceholder image
Chris Davies is expected to miss out on one of his top transfer targets | Getty Images
Aston Villa are set to hold contract talks with one of Birmingham City’s summer targets
Aston Villa are expected to kick-start contract discussions with a midfielder that’s acted as the catalyst for this season’s mini-revival under Unai Emery after a lacklustre start in the opening four matches.
Emiliano Buendia, a midfielder that once cost them a club-record fee of £33m when he joined from Norwich City in 2021, is now arguably playing the best football of his career since leaving Carrow Road. He’s scored four goals this term, registered two assists and has been central to the team’s recent resurgence in the league as well as their strong start in Europe.
The Argentine is finally starting to establish himself as a first team asset at Villa Park, putting an end to long-standing speculation suggesting that Unai Emery no longer saw him as part of his plans - and potentially even putting himself into contention for a return to the international stage for the first time in more than three years as attention turns to the World Cup next summer.
Aston Villa almost sold Emiliano Buendia in the summer
Buendia has been a shining light for Aston Villa this season, but it’s not always been easy for the South American midfielder. He arrived with great promise after winning the Championship Player of the Year award at Norwich City and was initially used regularly by both Steven Gerrard and later Unai Emery. However, his progress was disrupted in the 2023/24 season when he sustained an ACL injury in pre-season which ruled him out of the full campaign while his teammates in spite of his absence secured a return to the Champions League for the first time since 1983.
Buendia needed time to adapt back to first team life but struggled to command a starting spot, making 12 appearances (all from the bench) last term before being loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen.
Aston Villa plan to extend Emiliano Buendia’s contract
Football Insider reports that Aston Villa are likely to reward Buendia’s performances with a new and improved contract to outline his importance to Unai Emery’s squad moving forward. Buendia’s current deal expires in just over 18 months time, taking him until the summer of 2027. However, it now appears only a matter of time before they offer him a lengthier deal presumably with a pay increase as well.
The outlets have not yet confirmed the length of the proposed contract but it does appear to be a hammer blow to Birmingham City’s hopes of negotiating a transfer with their biggest rivals. Direct transfers between Aston Villa and Birmingham have been pretty rare over the years. One of the last notable examples of the club’s exchanging players actually came in a swap deal when Jota’s switch from St Andrew’s to Villa Park saw Gary Gardner depart in the opposite direction.
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