Norwich want at least £40m for Emiliano Buendia, who could soon make his debut for Argentina; One source told Sky Sports News that Arsenal have made a second offer worth £35m after an initial one of £30m was rejected; Aston Villa remain interested in 24-year-old
Friday 4 June 2021 17:50, UK
Arsenal and Aston Villa are in talks over a deal to sign Norwich winger Emiliano Buendia.
One source has told Sky Sports News Arsenal have made a second offer worth £35m after an initial one of £30m was rejected, while one source has also claimed Aston Villa have seen an offer knocked back.
Another source, however, says Norwich have not received any bids for the Argentine, rated at around £40m by the newly-promoted Canaries.
Another big European club is said to be interested, and Sky Sports News has reported interest from Atletico Madrid and Valencia in the past.
Buendia is currently part of the Argentina squad preparing for the Copa America but missed out on his debut in the 1-1 draw with Chile on Friday.
The 24-year-old has been a notable success for Norwich's recruitment department, with 24 goals and 42 assists in total since signing for a 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, with Buendia awarded the Championship Player of the Year accolade.
He scored 15 goals and registered 16 assists, creating more chances than any other player in the division.
Arsenal want a permanent creative focal point in their team and were interested in 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 and there are other clubs monitoring the progress of ongoing talks. Should Buendia impress for Argentina if he plays against Colombia on Wednesday, it could spark their interest.
