Leeds United were closing in on a deal to sign Brighton midfielder Facundo Buonanotte on loan, but those plans have been plunged into doubt after Fabrizio Romano confirmed a spanner in the works.
The Yorkshire Evening Post reported Daniel Farke’s side had talks in place and a flight scheduled to complete the move, only for it to be cancelled due to timing issues.
There was confidence Buonanotte would still arrive the following day to finalise a season-long switch to Elland Road.
Farke had identified the Argentina international as a player who could add the creativity his side lacked in defeats to Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday.
Buonanotte, 20, impressed in spells at Leicester City during his loan last season, scoring five times in 31 Premier League appearances. His ability to unlock defences marked him out as a strong late addition to a squad that has already seen ten signings.
Romano has now made it clear that Leeds’ optimism may have been misplaced. The transfer insider confirmed talks are underway elsewhere, leaving the Elland Road deal in serious doubt.
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Those talks involve Chelsea, who have stepped in to work on a deal of their own.
🚨💣 EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea are working on deal to sign Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton.
Negotiations underway with Brighton for Argentine talent in the list of several clubs in UK, Borussia Dortmund and more.
Deal on. 🔵🇦🇷
They were linked with Buonanotte last year in a reported €45m bid and have now revived their pursuit. According to Ben Jacobs, the move is being driven through BlueCo, the ownership group that controls both Chelsea and Strasbourg, with whispers of a loan to Ligue 1 on the table if the transfer is completed.
It would be another example of Chelsea’s multi-club model shaping the market. The Blues have sold heavily this summer while continuing to target young talent, and Buonanotte now joins Alejandro Garnacho among the names being lined up.
Garnacho is close to completing a £40m move from Manchester United, underlining the aggressive approach that has already seen multiple arrivals and departures at Stamford Bridge.
For Leeds, it is another reminder of the difficulty of competing in this market. A loan deal that looked close to completion has been undermined at the last moment, with fans growing increasingly frustrated at what is being viewed as a poor window.