Leeds United pushed hard to sign Emi Buendia on loan from Aston Villa during the January transfer window. But a Norwich City reunion at Elland Road wasn’t to be.
Emi Buendia helped fire Daniel Farke’s Norwich City to the Championship title in 2021. Farke wanted the Argentine to come to Leeds United and help him secure what would be a third Championship title as manager, but Buendia moved to Bayer Leverkusen in the end.
Since, Buendia has made his debut for Leverkusen. He’s since made three appearances for Xabi Alonso’s side including one start, as Leverkusen in 2nd look to close an eight-point gap to Bayern Munich in 1st.
Already, it’s been revealed that Leeds United will target a summer move for Buendia whose Aston Villa future remains uncertain. And if Leeds are promoted to the Premier League then they’ll stand a much better chance of landing Buendia in the summer.
But the 49ers and Farke have now identified someone who they could sign instead of Buendia.
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Leeds United could make summer move for Gustavo Hamer
For some time now, Leeds United have been linked with Gustavo Hamer. The Dutchman is currently vying for Championship promotion with Sheffield United having scored seven and assisted five more in 29 league outings in 2024/25.
Leeds have kept tabs on Hamer throughout the season and journalist Ben Jacobs now says that the Whites could target Hamer in the summer, if Leverkusen don’t activate their option to buy Buendia from Villa.
Jacobs said on GIVEMSPORT’s Market Madness podcast: “Definitely a playmaker. Gustavo Hamer or possibly Emi Buendia if Bayer Leverkusen don’t take up their option to buy clause.”
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The problem Leeds United have in race for Gustavo Hamer
Last summer, Leeds saw a £13million bid rejected for Hamer – the Blades signed Hamer from Coventry City in a £15million deal in 2023. After Leeds’ failed bid, it was reported that Leeds and Sheffield United’s rivalry going into the Championship meant that a deal would’ve been hard to agree on.
In the summer then, if both Leeds and Sheffield United are promoted then it would be equally as hard for the Whites to poach Hamer, if not more difficult as the Blades won’t want to sell their talisman ahead of a return to the top flight.
But there’s clearly interest from Leeds. There’s also the fact that Leeds will have a lot of spending power if they’re promoted and they might simply table a bid that Sheffield United find hard to turn down.
Either way, a playmaker signing looks like the priority for Leeds United ahead of the summer.
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