Leeds United have already made decisions regarding the futures of several players who were part of the squad that secured a respectable 14th-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke is determined to retain his key performers, with the club currently working to agree a new contract for captain Ethan Ampadu, despite reported interest from Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Leeds are expected to consider offers for Lucas Perri and Wilfried Gnonto, while uncertainty continues to surround Pascal Struijk’s future at Elland Road.
One player whose fate appears to have already been sealed is Facundo Buonanotte. The Argentine attacking midfielder endured a disappointing spell at Leeds, and the club have decided against pursuing a permanent transfer. However, he is attracting interest from an ambitious sporting director in South America.
River Plate eye move for Buonanotte
Leeds brought Buonanotte in on loan from Brighton during the winter transfer window, but the 21-year-old failed to make the impact many had hoped for.
The Whites have already concluded that they will not be signing him permanently, and Brighton are now looking to find him a new destination this summer.
According to TyC Sports, Argentine giants River Plate are preparing an approach for the playmaker ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Reports suggest River believe they can secure Buonanotte on loan from Brighton in the coming weeks, with sporting director Pablo Longoria personally driving the pursuit. It is claimed that Longoria is particularly keen on bringing the midfielder to the club.
Buonanotte has not completely ruled out a future move to Leeds, but River Plate have already outlined their sporting project to the player as they attempt to convince him to return to Argentina.
Brighton are open to letting him leave, and it remains unclear whether Buonanotte will choose a move back to his homeland following a difficult and frustrating loan spell in West Yorkshire.
A recruitment mistake Leeds cannot repeat
Buonanotte’s struggles at Leeds reflect poorly on the club’s recruitment process, especially considering he was far from a last-minute signing.
Leeds had attempted to bring him to Elland Road the previous summer and had even reached an agreement with Brighton before the player opted to join Chelsea on loan instead.
The club had monitored him for a considerable period, and both Leeds and Farke appeared to have a clear vision for his role within the squad.
However, when Buonanotte eventually arrived in January, things never clicked. Whether Farke was unsure how best to utilise him or simply felt he had not shown enough quality in training and matches, the midfielder failed to establish himself in the team.
With a crucial summer window ahead, Leeds must ensure they avoid similar recruitment missteps as they continue building a squad capable of progressing in the Premier League.
