'He wanted...' - Aston Villa boss Unai Emery lifts lid on spirited Emi Buendia transfer decision

Emiliano Buendia had the opportunity to leave Aston Villa in the summer but he decided to stay to fight for his place, Unai Emery admitted after his side’s 2-1 win away at Tottenham Hotspur.

Buendia scored one and assisted the other as Villa edged past Spurs in the FA Cup third round, returning to form after going six games without a direct goal involvement. The two-time Argentina international thumped into the nearside roof of the net for 1-0 and assisted Morgan Rogers with a cheeky back-heel for 2-0 after an effective one-two with Donyell Malen.

It was déjà vu for many as Buendia got on the scoresheet in a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second time this season, following on from Villa’s narrow Premier League triumph back in October.

But in an alternate universe, Buendia may have not been a Villa player at all this campaign. “In the summer, we were thinking to keep him or to leave, and he wanted to stay here with us,” Emery revealed during his post-match press conference.

“He's a fantastic guy, and he's a fantastic competitive player. How he's getting the commitment we need is like I want with every player,” the Villa boss added.

Villa were ready to sell Buendia

Only 12 months ago, Villa were about to sanction Buendia’s exit - at least temporarily - as he joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan. The attacking midfielder struggled to make his mark in Germany during the second half of last season and returned to the West Midlands in the summer with a big decision to be made.

Villa, knowing they had to make great efforts to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), as well as UEFA’s squad cost rules (SCR), strongly considered cashing in on Buendia. Birmingham World understands several conversations were held before the decision was ultimately made for Villa’s number 10 to stay.

Buendia, who has had a rollercoaster time of it in B6 due to long-term injuries and dips in form and confidence, was determined to put things right. The past few weeks may not have been the best for Buendia as he has lost his regular spot in the XI but it’s been a much better campaign on the whole.

Buendia’s versatility is vital

The mojo has certainly returned as Buendia has now scored six goals and provided four assists across all competitions in 2025/26. As well as his work rate, Buendia’s ability to play in several positions has helped him force his way back into Emery’s plans.

“How he's helping us with his versatility as a player in two positions is very important for us,” Emery said of Buendia. “The key position is the number inside and the number outside. But always linking with the midfielder and linking with the striker or with the winger, he's a very important player.

“When he's playing like today, he's performing like today, he's helping like he did today, of course our team is better.”