By Aston Villa FC

Emiliano Buendía joined Aston Villa last month, making him the club’s first summer signing.  

The 24-year-old has impressed pundits and fans alike since he arrived in English football with Norwich City back in 2018.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Argentinian…

Trending Upwards

GettyImages-1316958326.jpg

Buendía enjoyed his best season to date in 2020/21, setting new personal bests for goals and assists.

As Norwich accumulated 97 points to win the Championship, the creative force behind their title charge scored 15 goals to go alongside 16 assists.

That impressive return saw him crowned EFL Championship Player of the Year, named in the PFA Team of the Year and win Norwich’s Player of the Season award.

Flying High with the Canaries

GettyImages-1311147634.jpg

Norwich signed the attacking midfielder from Spanish side Getafe CF in the summer of 2018.

Buendía hit the ground running and registered eight goals and 12 assists in 38 Championship games as City won the league comfortably.

And after suffering relegation from the top flight in 2019/20, the Argentinian showed his class to fire Norwich back into the Premier League as champions once again last term.

Moving to Madrid

GettyImages-513913502.jpg

Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Buendía played for hometown side Cadetes de San Martín before Spanish giants Real Madrid signed him up aged 11.

He spent two years with Los Blancos before he moved to Getafe on the outskirts of Madrid.

After progressing through the ranks, including a stint with the B team, Buendía was given his senior debut in the 2014/15 season, appearing in both the Copa del Rey and La Liga.

Loan Life

GettyImages-911339890.jpg

Buendía struggled to get a regular run in the Getafe side as the club were relegated from La Liga in 2015/16 and finished third in the Segunda Division in 2016/17, securing promotion via the play-offs. 

A loan move to Segunda Division side Cultural Leonesa at the start of 2017/18 sparked his career into life, playing 42 games, bagging six goals and registering 12 assists. 

His form for the Spanish side saw Norwich take note, culminating in a move to England that summer. 

The Messi Effect

GettyImages-475208476.jpg

Buendía had a decision to make when it came to his national allegiance, with Spain and the country of his birth, Argentina, keen for him to play for them.

While at Getafe, the playmaker was called up by the Spanish Under-19 side in 2014 before he represented Argentina at the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

During a drubbing at the hands of Barcelona while playing for Getafe, Buendía recalls Argentina captain Lionel Messi asking him which nation he would choose to play for.

Buendía said: “He [Messi] asked: ‘What do you want to do? Do you want to play for Spain or Argentina?’ Quickly I said: ‘Of course I want to play for Argentina. I want to play with you – it is a dream.’”

The playmaker was called up to the senior Argentina side for the first time in May 2021, marking another step forward in his career so far.