Curious false start: BVB transfer target suffers bitter setback | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund’s former transfer target Facundo Buonanotte has moved to Chelsea. But the young Argentine is now experiencing a surprising setback.

Facundo Buonanotte had just been looking forward to his chance to play in the Champions League this season – but the Argentine’s dream at Chelsea has now suffered a major blow.

On the deadline day of the summer transfer window, Buonanotte moved within the Premier League from Brighton to Chelsea. The attacking midfielder was loaned out for a year, with Chelsea reportedly paying around 2.3 million euros for the deal. “I will have the opportunity to play in the Champions League for the first time, which will be a big challenge. I’m really looking forward to this season and hope I can help the club achieve its goals,” Buonanotte said enthusiastically at his introduction.

Despite this anticipation, the 20-year-old was not included in the Champions League squad by coach Enzo Maresca. UEFA regulations allow clubs to register players under 21 who have already been with the club for more than two years. However, Buonanotte does not meet this requirement.

Bitter Start for BVB-Flirt Buonanotte

Buonanotte, who previously played for Argentine club Rosario Central, joined Brighton in 2022 and made 50 Premier League appearances there, scoring five goals. Last season, he was on loan at Leicester City, where he played 31 matches and scored six goals. The youngster has also already made his mark internationally: he played one international match for Argentina each in 2023 and 2024 and made five appearances in the Europa League.

Chelsea, which has made headlines in recent years as Club World Cup champions and Conference League winners, has planned Buonanotte as a backup for key player Cole Palmer, who is currently injured. The youngster was signed as one of the last new arrivals for the Blues – Chelsea’s tenth player in the current transfer window. In doing so, the club beat out competitors like Borussia Dortmund.

On September 17, Chelsea will start the Champions League group stage against Bayern Munich. For Buonanotte, this means a curious false start: on Monday, he was still speaking with excitement about the Champions League, but by Tuesday, he was already missing from the official squad. His goal of playing in the Champions League for the first time will now have to be postponed for the former BVB target.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.