Aston Villa: Dean Smith signing has cost them £900k every goal
Aston Villa are still waiting to see results from one of their lavish captures in 2021.
Aston Villa have been revolutionized with the arrival of Unai Emery in October 2022, a managerial move that has influenced far more than simply the quality of play on the field.
The Spaniard has started life in the Premier League differently than he ended his previous term, when he was fired by Arsenal after 18 months at a time when the Gunners had not won in their previous seven games.
Only treble winner Pep Guardiola has amassed more Premier League points than Emery in 2023 in the Midlands.
Things are looking good for Villa, which has gone from 16th place when the former Villarreal manager took over to gaining admittance into the Europa Conference League by the end of the 2022/23 season, with things only looking up in the summer transfer window.
Five new recruits bolstered Emery’s squad, with the hope that they will adjust quickly to life at Villa Park and excel in areas where others from previous windows may not have.
It’s a common issue for players fresh to the Premier League to struggle to adapt to the demands of the game in England’s top flight, with one noteworthy player at Villa still finding his feet two years after his arrival, despite prior experience.
How much did Aston Villa sign Emiliano Buendia for?
Dean Smith recruited Buendia from Norwich City in 2021, beating out interest from Arsenal to bring him to a five-year deal worth around £38 million.
At the time of his arrival at Villa Park, the Argentine became the club’s record signing, with anticipation high following his strong performances in the Championship the previous season.
Back in 2021, when the Villans acquired an attacker in peak form, it was a profitable transaction for all parties, and Buendia’s compensation skyrocketed as a result.
Aston Villa five most expensive transfers
| Player | Club | Fee | Year |
| Moussa Diaby | Bayer Leverkusen | £51.9m | 2023 |
| Emiliano Buendia | Norwich City | £35m | 2021 |
| Pau Torres | Villarreal | £35m | 2023 |
| Ollie Watkins | Brentford | £30m | 2020 |
| Leon Bailey | Bayer Leverkusen | £28m | 2021 |
Figures obtained from Football Transfers
The versatile forward apparently earns £75k per week from the Midlands club, amounting to £3.9m per year, an increase from his £1.3m income at Carrow Road.
At the time of his transfer, all expenses appeared justified in light of the kind of player they had acquired to their ranks and the fame he could bring to the club.
Why did Buendia cost that much?
Buendia’s form has made him a sought-after figure in the summer of 2021, following a season in which he was named Championship Player of the Season.
Along with Villa, Arsenal were said to be interested in signing the Argentine, but the 24-year-old was wearing claret and blue towards the end of the transfer window.
Buendia led the Canaries to Premier League promotion in 2020/21, scoring 15 goals and contributing 17 assists in 39 Championship matches.
Recording 32 goal contributions in any domestic league season is noteworthy, especially when one’s team is competing in what is probably the best league in the world.
Deployable in most positions of the attacking line, Smith’s manager at the time praised the forward as a “great addition” to his side’s options in the final third, a remark that couldn’t be refuted after his personal 2020/21 campaign.
His experience in the Premier League prior to his success in the second division was an extra plus of the move, as he made 36 appearances in the top level with Norwich in the 2019/20 season that saw them relegated.
That season, the Argentine scored once and assisted seven times, fueling speculation about the explosive figure he may become at Villa Park, but has it worked out?
What is Emi Buendia’s market value now?
Despite all the thrill of his past numbers, the now 26-year-old has failed to translate his form at Norwich to Villa in his first two years at the club.
Now valued by CIES Football Observatory at just €15m (£13m), there has been a significant 66% drop in the player’s market value and subsequently his sell-on potential over the last two years.
Over the course of two Premier League seasons, the winger has contributed to 17 goals for the Midlands club, scoring nine and assisting eight.
The figures are disappointing, especially given that the Argentine has previously played in the league and given his form prior to joining the club.
Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan accused Buendia of failing to “hit the heights that everyone expected” and of not being “consistent enough” during his time at Villa, according to Football Insider.
It’s harsh criticism, but it’s fair, because the numbers back up accusations that the 26-year-old has fallen short of the expectations that existed when he arrived.
Similarly, this season represented an opportunity for him to have a successful campaign, which appeared to be on the cards after he impressed in pre-season earlier this summer.
Buendia suffered a catastrophic ACL injury in training just before the start of the 2023/24 season, a sad setback for the winger that will keep him out for the foreseeable future.
Was signing Buendia a good deal?
Buendia’s quality on his day makes him a great asset for Emery to have in his squad, with him proving to be a bother for defenders when on form.
However, the attacking midfielder averaged a Sofascore match rating of 6.79 per game last season, indicating that his exceptional performances are few.
The winger has earned about £8 million in pay during his two years at Villa, which equates to a value close to £900,000 earned every Premier League goal scored.
There’s a case to be made that the Argentine has yet to live up to his price tag, having failed to live up to expectations following his dominant season for Norwich.
With three years left on his contract, there is still hope that Villa will get the best out of Buendia, who is capable of amazing things on his day.
