Leeds United’s failure to make any signing in the January transfer window is now being laid bare as the club struggle to replicate their excellent form in the first two third of the Championship season.
The last five games have seen Leeds wield just six points from a possible 15, averaging just 1.2 points a game. Prior to the last five, Daniel Farke’s men were averaging 2.2 points a game – a massive drop off.
Many Leeds fans are pointing the finger at the club’s inability to make any new signings in January while Sheffield United and Burnley strengthened with plenty of new signings, that are now proving their worth.
One player Leeds did want and try to sign was Emi Buendia. The Argentina international was struggling for game time at Aston Villa and Farke supposedly wanted a reunion with his old Norwich City playmaker.
Emi Buendia is struggling for game time at Bayer Leverkusen
It came as a bit of a surprise when £40m Buendia chose to join German champions – for a few more weeks – Bayer Leverkusen. Xabi Alonso’s side sit six points behind Bayern Munich with six games left.
Choosing Leverkusen over Leeds was understandable with Alonso’s side pushing for the title and still in Europe, but it is fair to say that things have not gone to plan for Buendia, a few weeks after his move.
Indeed, Buendia has been available for 11 games – remaining an unused substitute in two. He’s only been afforded two starts, one in the league and on in the Cup, but was hooked at half-time and on 60 minutes.
Could Buendia be regretting his decision to join Leverkusen?
Buendia’s stance was always that he did not want to step down to the Championship from the top tier and when Leverkusen come knocking, it is hard to turn down. But with hindsight, should he regret it?
Buendia was never going to start for Leverkusen on a regular basis and that is something he will have known when going there. No goals, no assists and a meagre total of just 182 minutes in all competitions.
That is from a possible 990. While he might be playing right at the top with Leverkusen, he himself is not playing enough. At least at Leeds, Buendia would have been first choice – first name on the team sheet.
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