Will This Argentine Prodigy Be The Spark That Keeps Leeds United In The Premier League? | OneFootball

Leeds United landed Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton late in the January window. This happened right after he ended his short stay at Chelsea. The 21-year-old playmaker moves to Elland Road for the rest of the 2025-26 season. Daniel Farke has put him in charge of adding some much-needed spark to the midfield.

The deal came together after the Whites missed out on their other top choices. This puts a lot of pressure on the young Argentine to help the team stay up. Reports say Brighton pulled him back from Stamford Bridge because he hardly ever played. They sent him to West Yorkshire instead, hoping he would get regular Premier League games.

The move comes as fans at Elland Road feel a real sense of letdown. Much of that is because the club couldn’t sign Jorgen Strand Larsen. Crystal Palace beat Leeds to the Norwegian striker, which forced the 49ers Enterprises to change plans fast.

Will Facundo Buonanotte Be the ‘Argentine Spark’ That Keeps Leeds United in the Premier League?

LINCOLN, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Facundo Buonanotte of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Lincoln City and Chelsea at LNER Stadium on September 23, 2025 in Lincoln, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

So, Buonanotte now has to carry the team’s creative hopes. Daniel Farke said straight out that the team lacks guile near the goal. He might now think the young Argentine is the answer. Buonanotte definitely has the talent to do it. During his loan at Leicester last year, he scored six goals and showed he can handle himself at this level.

Even so, trusting a 21-year-old to lead a fight against relegation is a risky move. His stats at Leicester look good, but he has spent a lot of time on Chelsea’s bench lately. That makes people wonder if he is match-fit. Leeds need him to make an impact right away.

They can’t wait for him to find his feet. Farke needs the attacking midfielder to be ready from day one to link the play and break down tough defences. If Buonanotte plays as he did at Leicester, fans will see this as a smart move that saved the club a fortune.

If he struggles with the rough play and the pressure of the relegation battle, people will complain even more about the board missing out on Strand Larsen. The gap between a brilliant signing and a desperate gamble is tiny in the Premier League. Leeds United’s future in the top flight might just depend on which version of Buonanotte shows up.