Leeds United reportedly quoted £25 million to sign Emi Buendia this summer

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Leeds United have made an enquiry for Norwich City attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia, according to reports.

That is according to a report from the Daily Mail, who suggest the Argentine has emerged as a major transfer target for the Whites ahead of their return to the Premier League. 

The 23-year-old impressed for the Canaries last season despite their disappointing Premier League campaign, in which they finished bottom and will switch places with Leeds this summer. 

However, one major stumbling block might be the asking price. Norwich are said to have demanded a £25 million fee for the player should Leeds become serious about bringing him to Elland Road. 

That fee would command a large portion of Leeds’ apparent transfer budget for the summer. 

It would not be the first time that Leeds had made an attempt to sign Buendia. 

In 2017, it was reported by The Daily Star that Leeds United were making a move for the player. At the time, the Getafe-owned attacker was on loan at Spanish second-tier side Cultural Leonesa. 

Described as a sister club for Leeds, at the time there was plenty of hope of fruitful cooperation between the two sides. 

Ivan Bravo of the Aspire Group was on the board of directors at both clubs and Leeds must have felt this fact could help them get Buendia. 

After an impressive season with Cultural, however, Buendia decided to join Norwich in the summer of 2018. 

In February 2019, The Sun journalist Alan Nixon tweeted that Buendia’s initial loan move to Cultural was with a view to an eventual permanent deal to Leeds. That plan, reportedly, ‘fizzled out’, much like Leeds links with Aspire and Cultural – at least to the outside observer. 

Even Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber told The Telegraph in April last year that the Canaries signed Buendia from ‘under Leeds’ nose’ so it would be no surprise if Victor Orta is now looking to rectify that transfer error. 

Now it would appear that Leeds have another chance to get their hands on the Argentine, but at a significant price-tag.