Aston Villa said to have opened contract talks with Emiliano Buendía

Aston Villa have reportedly entered discussions with Emiliano Buendía over a new contract, according to Sports Mole. The publication, referencing a report by the Daily Mail, claims the club are keen to reward the midfielder for his performances during the opening weeks of the campaign.

Buendía's existing agreement expires at the end of the current season. While Villa are understood to possess an option that would add a further year before the 2026-27 campaign concludes, the suggestion is that the hierarchy prefer to negotiate a longer extension rather than simply triggering the clause.

The 29-year-old has established himself as a key figure under Unai Emery after previously slipping down the pecking order. Since returning from a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen, he has registered thirteen goals and nine assists across 62 matches in all competitions.

His importance has grown following a busy summer transfer window that saw Morgan Rogers move to Chelsea and Ollie Watkins join Al Hilal. Buendía has regularly featured either as a central attacking midfielder or on the left flank, becoming one of the first names selected for matchday squads.

Villa sit sixteenth in the Premier League table heading into the international break, but recent form offers encouragement. Three victories from four matches across all competitions have been aided by contributions from several new arrivals signed before the window closed earlier this month.

Among those competing for places are Johan Manzambi, who arrived from SC Freiburg in July, and Ibrahim Mbaye, signed from Paris Saint-Germain on the final day of the window. Despite the added competition, Buendía is described as holding significant standing within Emery's group.

Having joined the club in 2021 and missed the entirety of the 2023-24 season through a serious knee injury, the two-cap Argentina international is now one of the longest-serving members of the squad. Only Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings and John McGinn have been at Villa Park for a greater length of time.

No deal has been announced and the club have not commented publicly on the speculation. With the transfer window shut until January 2027, any agreement would secure a player already on the books rather than bring in a new face ahead of the next fixture against Brentford on 10 October.