
Arsenal target Emi Buendia drops future hint with Gunners bid imminent as talks gather momentum. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Arsenal are hot on the tail of Emi Buendia this summer as Mikel Arteta looks to reshape his squad for a European push next season, with the Argentine playing his part in stirring up talk by insisting he dreams of ‘the highest level’.
All professional footballers do, don’t they? If you’re in League One and Championship side comes calling, you’re not going to turn it down. In that sense, there is nothing majorly new, but the timing of them is crucial.
This is now three seasons at Carrow Road for the 24-year-old who is in the form of his life. Having stayed in Norfolk last summer to help the Canaries head straight back up to the Premier League as second division champions, it’s accepted that he can depart with his mission ‘completed’, in a way.
15 goals and 16 assists (as well as two red cards) saw him given the Championship Player of the Season award, finishing the campaign with the most combined goal contributions. Speaking to AS, he said he’s ready for the next step.
Arsenal target Emi Buendia drops future hint with Gunners bid imminent as talks gather momentum
“One always dreams of being at the highest level and in the best teams in England, Spain or Europe,” he said.
“One dreams of playing for titles, it is an ambition that I have, it is a pride that important clubs are interested in you, it means that you are doing things well and it is a motivation to continue working and one day achieve it.
“Since I was a child, I was passionate about soccer and you grow up with players you watch. Not only in the position that I would like to play, as I still do today.
Discussing his favoured position, he insisted the ‘Odegaard role’, to put it in Arsenal terms, is his favourite.
“My position was always ‘10’, the hook, between the middle and the forward,” he added. “I was always a passer, but in a professional way I played more outside and always with the freedom to be able to associate.
“But where I feel most comfortable is in the middle, where I can touch the ball more and associate with my team-mates.”
Those prepared for a drawn out summer saga may be in luck. Buendia’s comments come in the close season with heightened interest in his signature, as the speculation mounts that a bid from Arsenal is inevitable.
The Daily Mail report that the Gunners have opened talks with the forward as they look to fend off Aston Villa and another unnamed European side, and a new man at Arsenal is desperate to push through with a deal
Continued…
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<p>— Simon Collings (@sr_collings) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://twitter.com/sr_collings/status/1397514730433089539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 26, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2>Arsenal target Emi Buendia drops future hint with Gunners bid imminent as talks gather momentum</h2>
<blockquote><p>“One always dreams of being at the highest level and in the best teams in England, Spain or Europe,” he said.</p>
<p>“One dreams of playing for titles, it is an ambition that I have, it is a pride that important clubs are interested in you, it means that you are doing things well and it is a motivation to continue working and one day achieve it.</p>
<p>“Since I was a child, I was passionate about soccer and you grow up with players you watch. Not only in the position that I would like to play, as I still do today.</p></blockquote>
<p>Discussing his favoured position, he insisted the ‘Odegaard role’, to put it in Arsenal terms, is his favourite.</p>
<blockquote><p>“My position was always ‘10’, the hook, between the middle and the forward,” he added. “I was always a passer, but in a professional way I played more outside and always with the freedom to be able to associate.</p>
<p>“But where I feel most comfortable is in the middle, where I can touch the ball more and associate with my team-mates.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Those prepared for a drawn out summer saga may be in luck. Buendia’s comments come in the close season with heightened interest in his signature, as the speculation mounts that a bid from Arsenal is inevitable.</p>
<p>The <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9618127/Arsenal-seek-Aston-Villa-opening-talks-Norwich-40m-rated-Emiliano-Buendia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a> report that the Gunners have opened talks with the forward as they look to fend off Aston Villa and another unnamed European side, and a new man at Arsenal is desperate to push through with a deal</p>
<p><em>Continued…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Arsenal Want Emi Buendia as First Summer Signing </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-110606" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1156005104-850x560.jpeg" alt="Richard Garlick, Arsenal" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">NANJING, CHINA – JULY 17: Richard Garlick of Premier League attends during Premier League Youth Development Conference on July 17, 2019 in Nanjing, China. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images for Premier League)</p>
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<h2>Arsenal Want Emi Buendia as First Summer Signing</h2>
<p>Richard Garlick started his role as Arsenal’s director of football operations recently and is eager to get off on the right footing. Coming into the replace Huss Fahmy as the key contract negotiator, he will also provide some much-needed support to <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/24/arsenal-3-biggest-mistakes-arteta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edu and Arteta</a>. The Brazilian may find the deals, but Garlick will help close them.</p>
<p>The Mail report that he wants to start his tenure – brought forward by the Super League scandal – with the signing of Buendia. Discussions have escalated ‘quickly’ as the impending Aston Villa bid draws near, with Norwich keen to have the entire issue put to bed early on so they can work on their own replacements.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">✅ Newcastle (a)<br>✅ West Brom (h)<br>✅ Chelsea (a)<br>✅ Palace (a)<br>✅ Brighton (h)<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://twitter.com/m8arteta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@m8arteta has been nominated for May's <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://twitter.com/premierleague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@premierleague Manager of the Month award 👏</p>
<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1397145986703765504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 25, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Offers of around £35m plus add-ons are imminent at Carrow Road and Buendia’s future is due to be resolved early if talks continue at the rate they are.</p>
<p>Escalating at such pace, Arsenal’s opening bid continues to be mooted, which would constitute a complete change of process for the club. So often deals are dragged out until the latter stages, where either deadline day announcements follow or news of a collapse.</p>
<p>How important Garlick will be throughout this summer and beyond can’t be understated. He isn’t going to arrive and immediately make Arsenal a transfer titan who can close every deal at whatever price they want, but he is richly experienced head in a sea of rookies flying their own flags. Just his simple know-how will be a vital ingredient.</p>
<p>What is oh-so crucial, however, is the Gunners’ <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/29/arsenal-want-buendia-transfer-odegaard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decision making</a>. There is no time to waste on Buendia who is garnering huge interest, thus the club has to decide what to do with Martin Odegaard. Their budget can’t stretch for both. They need an answer from Real Madrid and a stance either way, or they risk missing out on Buendia.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Willock can fill Ceballos hole" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/25/joe-willock-arsenal-ceballos-fill/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/25/joe-willock-arsenal-ceballos-fill/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Willock can fill Ceballos hole </a> </div>
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<p>If they dally and then can’t <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/26/arsenal-buendia-bid-odegaard-transfer/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/25/arsenal-martin-odegaard-transfer-boost/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">afford Odegaard</a>, they’re back at square one. Arteta mentioned being ‘ruthless’, which means making tough decisions, but quick ones. They have to act fast on this.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">