Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has revealed that an exit for Emiliano Buendia this month is an option amid doubts over his future at the club.
The 28-year-old made just his third start of the season in our defeat at Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday night, and after an impressive display which built on positive impacts off the bench in recent weeks, it had been hoped that the Argentine playmaker was finally building some momentum.
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After losing a year of his career following a serious knee injury he suffered on the eve of last season, it has been a gruelling road back to recovery for Buendia, but he has worked tirelessly to get back to this point, and he deserves credit for that alone as Emery praised his performance at Monaco.
However, the Villa boss also revealed that the door is open for Buendia to depart in the January transfer window, as ultimately he will continue to face a battle for minutes given the competition for places in the squad, and so it remains to be seen if a departure materialises.
“Buendia played a fantastic match, but we needed something more on the right side and a little bit more on the left side,” Emery said in his post-match press conference, as per BirminghamLive.
“Today, especially with Emi Buendia, because he has the option to leave but today we needed him and he played fantastic with his qualities, fantastic mentality and fantastic with his commitment with the squad.”
Various factors have been pointing towards a potential exit, as Buendia has just 18 months remaining on his current contract with Villa, while the arrival of Donyell Malen this month likely pushes him further down the pecking order.
He provided a timely reminder this week of his ability to make an impact and play an important role for Emery when needed, but it seems as though Villa are ultimately moving on in a different direction, and so an exit could be the best outcome for all concerned.
It would certainly be a shame if that were to materialise, as prior to his injury, Buendia was a consistent presence in the Villa starting line-up following Emery’s arrival, and that setback looks to have derailed his time with us.
Time will tell if a suitable offer arrives and the club approve an exit, but Buendia will no doubt continue to show great commitment, determination and desire to help his teammates when involved, and hopefully there is still a place for him in the Villa squad this season and beyond.
