Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has suggested that the Whites could manage to persuade Norwich City star Emiliano Buendia to join them during the summer transfer window.

Buendia has enjoyed another standout campaign at Championship level with the attacker playing an instrumental role in establishing Norwich as the best side in the English second tier. The 24-year-old has been able to register an impressive tally of 12 goals and 15 assists for the Canaries in the league this season and that has made him the club’s second top scorer this term.

It has recently been reported by The Athletic that Leeds United’s director of football Victor Orta is an admirer of Buendia. That suggests the playmaker is someone that the Whites would be interested in bringing into Elland Road should they get the chance to do so in the summer. While the 24-year-old has also already been linked with a move to the likes of Arsenal and now there are reports linking him with Spanish sides Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, and Villarreal.

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny has suggested that Buendia might find it difficult to turn down a move to Leeds in the summer if they were to come in for the playmaker. While he also suggested that Bielsa’s pulling power might be enough to make the difference in trying to secure his signature.

He said: “Definitely. He’s an exceptional player. Norwich are as good as promoted now and he’s played a massive part in that.

“Would he want to leave? Can you turn Leeds down? It’s a tough one. He’s Argentinian too. With Bielsa, that could sway it.”

The verdict

You can see why there is so much interest in Buendia ahead of the summer transfer window given how impressive he has been for the Canaries in the Championship this term.

However, Leeds would need to compete with some of Europe’s biggest clubs who could potentially offer the 24-year-old European football so it is going to be a big ask for them to convince him to move to Elland Road.

As Kenny suggests, there is the pulling power of Bielsa and the way he likes to play football that will always be attractive to someone like Buendia. You could see the attacker flourishing in Leeds’ system and in their style of play, but Norwich also play an attractive brand of football and so it might take more than that to tempt him to move to the Whites.

Norwich are going to really struggle to keep hold of Buendia you feel and it would be a major blow for them were they to lose a player of his quality straight away after promotion back to the top-flight. It is therefore going to be a very nervy summer for Daniel Farke’s side.