Both Arsenal and Aston Villa have been interested in Emiliano Buendia before and lead a string of clubs looking to sign Norwich's promotion star this summer. Tottenham are also keen but he will not come cheap with a valuation of at least £35m
Friday 21 May 2021 13:49, UK
Arsenal and Aston Villa have renewed their interest in Norwich star Emiliano Buendia.
Both clubs have been making enquiries about the 24-year-old, who has been outstanding during the Canaries promotion campaign.
Several other big Premier League clubs are also admirers and monitoring his situation at Carrow Road, including Tottenham.
Their arch-rivals the Gunners were interested in signing Buendia in January but opted to sign Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid instead.
However, a permanent deal for the Norway playmaker this summer is said to be an expensive prospect, especially due to his high wages at the Bernabeu.
Villa boss Dean Smith, meanwhile, has a long-standing interest in Buendia since first switching to Villa from Brentford.
Buendia will not come cheap, however, with Norwich valuing him in the region of £35m to £40m.
The Argentine has scored 15 goals and registered 16 assists in the Championship this season, creating more chances than any other player in the division.
He has been a notable success for Norwich's recruitment department, with 24 goals and 42 assists in total since signing for little over £1m from Getafe in 2018.
Last month, Sky Sports News covered in depth how Norwich rebuilt their team to win the Championship and return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Using Wyscout statistical data, Buendia stood out as their most effective player. making the most key passes per90 (1.03), and the most through-balls per90 (3.17).
Norwich manager Daniel Farke recently accepted that should "crazy offers" come in for the likes of Buendia, right-back MaxAarons, and midfielder Todd Cantwell, then the club might have to consider the bigger picture.
"We have to be realistic," he said. "We are a self-funding club and will always have to develop our players.
"Sometimes you also have to accept if a player has outgrown the club, then there is a solution. We had this in the past with James Maddison when, without the transfer fee, it would have been difficult to keep the club going.
"Now, though, we are in a much better position. We are not struggling financially anymore and are ourselves playing on the big stage of Premier League level, for that I am not in fear that a player of this category has to leave."
