Leeds United are close to completing the loan signing of Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton, with his loan move to Chelsea immediately being ‘interrupted’ and with a big promise from the Whites helped to convince the star, whose likely squad number at Elland Road has also emerged.
The Whites were left desperately disappointed in the final days of the summer window when Daniel Farke, who had methodically signed a tall and athletic new-look Leeds side, missed out on the cherry on the cake in Buonanotte. And despite extensive talks with his representatives over a season’s loan from Brighton, the Argentina playmaker surprisingly took the option to join Chelsea instead.
Despite admitting he had been swayed to move to Stamford Bridge by the lure of Champions League football, Buonanotte must have been left cursing his luck when, just days later, he was left out of Enzo Maresca’s initial 25-man squad for the competition.
He did later earn a reprieve after an injury to Liam Delap, featuring in matches against Benfica, Qarabag and Ajax.
But after just eight appearances in a Chelsea shirt, totalling just 519 minutes, the Blues have agreed to terminate his loan from the Seagulls, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the 21-year-old is now set to move to Elland Road instead.
Posting on X at 11.45am on Thursday, January 15, Romano revealed: ‘EXCLUSIVE: Leeds United reach verbal agreement to sign Facundo Buonanotte!
‘Chelsea to interrupt loan move from Brighton, leaving CFC to return to BHAFC and then join Leeds. Move to LUFC will be on loan until the end of the season. Here we go, soon.’
Ultimately, it was that lack of football that has persuaded both the Blues and Brighton to cancel the deal, with sources confirming the south-coast club had cancelled Leeds to see if there was still an interest in bringing the player to West Yorkshire.
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How Leeds swayed Buonanotte to sign as likely shirt number emerges
The attacking midfielder, who has two senior caps for Argentina, can operate either as a No.10 or off either wing, fulfilling Farke’s long-standing wish to add more creativity to his ranks, missing at Elland Road really since the exit of the iconic Pablo Hernandez back in 2021.
And while rejuvenated USA international Brenden Aaronson has been the chief beneficiary of that initial Leeds transfer miss – the American hitting a rich vein of form in recent weeks – the addition of Buonanotte will give the Whites another string to their bow.
Indeed, it is the promise of more regular football which has persuaded both Buonanotte and Brighton to accept Leeds’ offer, with the 21-year-old’s game-time certain to climb off the back of the move to West Yorkshire.
The player will be eager, too, to make up for lost time after seeing his career stall over the last four and a half months at Stamford Bridge.
Leeds United currently have 18 shirt options open for Buonanotte to choose from, with the player – expected to sign on the dotted line before the end of the weekend if all goes to plan – able to pick from the following numbers: 12, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 39 and 40.
However, with the player having adorned the No.40 shirt throughout his short career to date, it would come as a surprise were he to not choose that at Leeds.
Leeds offered £60m-rated Prem striker; big-name Chelsea star tipped to leave
Meanwhile, TEAMtalk sources can confirm the Whites are one of the clubs that have been offered the chance to a £60m-rated Wolves striker by intermediaries, though a move to bring him to Elland Road is far from straightforward.
In other news, the Whites continue to be described by sources as ‘frontrunners’ for the signing of a quality Dutch defender, with their chief rivals from the Bundesliga now targeting a former Leeds star instead.
Such a move would seriously benefit Leeds, too, with the West Yorkshire side due to earn a 15% cut of any transfer.
Elsewhere, Leeds United are confirmed admirers of a 19-year-old winger they now they have the perfect chance to sign, with the player’s Chelsea career set to come to an end this month.
Down at Chelsea, new boss Liam Rosenior is reportedly facing his first major test at Stamford Bridge, with an elite star weighing up his future at the club after becoming ‘unsettled’ at how Maresca was treated by the hierarchy.
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