When Emi Buendia last signed a contract with Aston Villa, most expected it to be the final time. After signing an extension in January 2025, the Argentinian joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the remainder of the season under Xabi Alonso.
Six months before moving to Germany, Buendia returned to a matchday squad for the first time in nearly a year, featuring off the bench in Villa’s pre-season friendly against Columbus Crew two years ago. A serious knee injury, suffered on the eve of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, robbed Buendia of an entire season, just as he had looked like Villa’s sharpest player during pre-season preparations three summers ago.
After gradually working his way back to match fitness in the following season, Buendia struggled to build confidence and earn minutes under Unai Emery, failing to start a single league match in the first half of the campaign. His loan move to Leverkusen included a £17 million buy option for the Bundesliga side, but it was not exercised, as the playmaker made only around 250 minutes of appearances in the German top flight during the second half of the season.
Before Buendia headed to Germany, Villa protected his value by offering him a 12-month contract extension. This ensured that if Leverkusen chose not to buy him, the club would retain some of his value rather than risk him entering the final year of his deal.
Following Villa’s disappointing final-day defeat to Manchester United, Emery began preparing his squad for the Europa League campaign, and Buendia was determined to stay and prove his worth. Even late in the summer transfer window, with interest from VfB Stuttgart, Buendia's future remained uncertain. However, he stayed beyond the deadline and went on to justify Emery’s decision to keep him.
Harvey Elliott was ultimately the casualty of Buendia's resurgence, a decision that saved the club £35 million, and one that now looks fully justified given the latter’s contributions. Without Buendia's 20 goal involvements, Villa may have struggled to secure a top-four Premier League finish, especially given their financial constraints in the transfer market. He also played a key role in the club’s Europa League triumph.
Not only did Buendia score a superb goal in the final to make it 2–0 on the night, but he also added three more goals - against Feyenoord, Bologna, and Nottingham Forest - while providing assists in those matches, as well as in games against Basel, RB Salzburg, and Lille.
Now, with just one year remaining on his deal, Buendia deserves another contract extension to reward his performances over the past year. He has demonstrated his quality in several big games and clearly still has an important role to play, especially with the number of fixtures Emery’s squad will face next season as they prepare for a second Champions League campaign in three years.
