A YEAR AGO Facundo Buonanotte thought he’d made a dream move – a season-long loan from Brighton to Chelsea (reportedly for a £2m fee).
He had been on the brink of a similar temporary move to Leeds when the chance of switching to Stamford Bridge arose almost literally at the last minute.
Within a fortnight, he made his debut in a 2-2 draw away to Brentford in the Premier League, playing behind Joao Pedro and alongside Pedro Neto and Jamie Gittens, only to be subbed off at half-time.
Ten days later, he played and scored in Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Lincoln in the League Cup.
His autumn wasn’t entirely wasted because he also started in two more Chelsea League Cup games – a 4-3 win away to Wolves and a 3-1 win at Cardiff – and gained European experience in the Champions League with starts v Benfica and Ajax and as a sub on for Joao Pedro v Qarabağ.
There were no more league appearances, though, and it subsequently emerged he only got to play earlier in the season because of the injury absences of Cole Palmer and Liam Delap.
When asked to explain Buonanotte’s lack of involvement, coach Enzo Maresca said: “Facu is working well. He played many games at the beginning because Cole was injured, Liam was injured, so we had more space. There’s not any reason [other than that].”
Buonanotte got one start under Maresca’s successor Liam Rosenior in Chelsea’s 5-1 FA Cup third round win at Charlton, but because of his limited game time with the Londoners his loan was cut short.
Instead of returning to parent club Brighton, he finally got to move to Leeds on a half-season loan and Jason Ayto, Albion’s sporting director at the time, said: “Facundo wants to play and he demonstrated in his loan to Leicester City last season the impact he is able to have in the Premier League when he does.
“This is a great move for all parties and we looking forward to seeing how he continues his development with Leeds United.
“We wish him well for the remainder of the season and look forward to welcoming him back in the summer.”
Having played in the FA Cup for Chelsea, historically he would have been ruled out of featuring in the competition for Leeds, but the rule changed ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, allowing so-called cup-tied players to represent two clubs.
So, it meant Buonanotte was able to start Leeds’ fourth round FA Cup tie away to Birmingham City – but he was withdrawn at half-time in a game that United won 4-2 on penalties after it finished 1-1.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke said: “He didn’t have his best game in the FA Cup but it’s also a bit realistic. If you bring a player in who has rarely played a game, this is what happens sometimes. He’s in a challenging position.”
In a slightly curious interview with BBC Sport, Farke sought to downplay expectations of what Buonanotte might offer Leeds, explaining: “We haven’t signed him to improve our 11 straight away. We signed him to improve the depth in our squad.
“We let Jack Harrison go out on loan and Harry Gray out on loan. We spoke openly with Facundo about it. We want to make sure we hold the pressure high on our other options.
“We just like his potential. I told him ‘I don’t write you off after one poor half’. I was half expecting this.”
The German added: “It’s never easy – we give you the stage, support and arm around the shoulder. We don’t expect you to cut this league into pieces. It is step by step. If it works out – great, if not it’s a loan for both sides, not a big risk.”
Farke was blunter when talking to Graham Smyth, of the Yorkshire Evening Post, telling the reporter that Buonanotte just had to get on with any criticism being made, although he pointed out: “He’s a very self-critical lad, fantastic human being, I also like his character.
“He’s not coming to the training ground down, he’s still there each day with a smile on his face, enjoying his life together with us, with teammates, but still working hard.”
Farke continued: “It’s not easy if you have not played that much and especially when you’re young and you face a bit of criticism.
“You have to win your momentum and form back, step by step. This is what you try, what he’s trying to do at the moment.”
As it turned out, the player only made three sub appearances for Leeds after that FA Cup tie and former Chelsea, Leeds and England full-back Tony Dorigo offered an explanation in an interview with goal.com.
“He had a couple of opportunities, didn’t do very well. Had a cup game away at Birmingham, really struggled and came off. And you’ve got to say that the other players in his position, or in and around him, were playing better. Simple as that.
“I’m sure he’s been working hard on the training ground, but so is everyone else. So, it’s been good in that respect, you’ve got to play really, really well to keep your spot or try and get into the side. Unfortunately, Buonanotte just hasn’t.”
When Sussex World suggested to Fabien Hurzeler that it had been a wasted season for Buonanotte, he was a little more conciliatory.
“I think every experience for players is important, no matter if they play or not,” he said. “Of course, if you give a player a loan, it’s always helpful that they play, but in the end we can’t make the decision.
“Daniel Farke will have a reason why he’s not playing, and then it’s about the player to understand what he needs to improve to get into the team.
“What value he needs to show in every training session, that he is an option for the coach. And I think that’s also a learning process for the player, especially for a young player like Buonanotte.”
Perhaps if his season had turned out differently, Buonanotte could have been part of Argentina’s World Cup squad along with his former under-20 teammate Valentín Barco. Buonanotte already had two full caps: one gained in 2023 when he went on as a sub in a 2-0 win over Indonesia, the other in 2024 in a 3-0 victory over El Salvador.
Hurzeler said: “I know that he has incredible potential and a lot of talent, but that’s not everything in the Premier League. It’s about work ethic, it’s about being hard to yourself, it’s about suffering if you’re not playing, trying to understand and reflect your own behaviour.”
Saying the player needed to learn to take ownership and responsibility for the situation he found himself in, he added: “Hopefully he gets the right conclusion, the right consequences out of it and we’ll get a better player.”
But the wait goes on for Brighton fans to see Buonanotte back in Albion’s colours because at the beginning of August it was announced he was heading off to Spain on yet another season-long loan, this time to newly-promoted La Liga side Elche under Argentinian head coach Martin Anselmi.
Buonanotte, still only 21, was involved in Albion’s pre-season camp in Austria and played as a no.10 as a second half substitute against Strasbourg in Vienna.
He obviously didn’t do enough to convince Hurzeler to keep him within a squad that is also contending with European games this season although when announcing his departure to Spain,
Albion sporting director Mike Cave said: “Facundo is a talented young player who has continued to develop since joining the club.
“This loan gives him the opportunity to play regular football in one of Europe’s top leagues.
“We believe this move will provide an excellent environment for him to gain further experience, and we’ll continue to monitor his progress closely throughout the season.”
Born in Perez, Argentina, two days before Christmas 2004, Buonanotte began his football journey aged just 10 in the youth academy of top Argentine side Rosario Central and he was regarded as one of the most talented graduates from the club since Ángel Di María.
Brighton’s intention to sign him at the age of 17 when the January 2023 transfer window opened was first spoken of in August 2022 and headlines described him as “a wonder kid”.
The club’s technical director at the time, David Weir said: “Facundo is a player we have been aware of for some time, and we have been watching for a while.”
By November that year, he had just completed his first season of top flight football in his home country and Rosario’s boss, the former Man Utd and West Ham striker Carlos Tevez, compared the youngster to Lionel Messi!
“When he brakes and accelerates he reminds me of Messi,” Tevez said after Rosario beat Barracas in August, as reported by Rosario3. “I haven’t seen a boy play like that for a long time.
“Facu has a great mentality, he doesn’t seem to be 17 years old. He is at a very high level, one thinks that he has no ceiling, it is where he wants to go. Today he is physically impeccable.”
Buonanotte played in the Rosario midfield alongside Francis Mac Allister – brother of Alexis.
“I spoke with my brother and he told me that he is an amazing guy and a really good player,” Alexis Mac Allister said. “I am really excited for him. I told him that he is in the right place to keep growing his career.
“I spoke with the Argentina coaching staff when they asked me about him. I said that he’s a very exciting player and once he gets used to the league he will become a top player.”
After signing for Brighton for a reported £5.3m fee on a contract to June 2027, Buonanotte didn’t have to wait long for his first taste of first team action.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi sent him on as a substitute for Tariq Lamptey with 15 minutes left of the 4 February home game against AFC Bournemouth. An 88th-minute goal by Kaoru Mitoma earned Albion all three points.
Handed his first Premier League start three days after Albion lost on penalties to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final, Buonanotte marked it with a goal at the City Ground, Nottingham, but Albion went down 3-1. It was one of seven starts he made, plus seven appearances off the bench as the Seagulls finished in their highest ever spot of sixth.
In a season in which Brighton competed in Europe for the first time, Buonanotte scored five times in 23 starts plus 13 sub appearances. I was at Stamford Bridge on 3 December 2023 when he pulled one back for the Albion just before half time, curling the ball into the bottom left corner of Robert Sanchez’s goal, in a tetchy encounter that saw Conor Gallagher sent off and eight players booked as Chelsea edged it 3-2.
In spite of the defeat, De Zerbi spoke warmly of Buonanotte’s performance saying: “He played very well, his best game at Brighton. He is getting better and better.
“I know when a young player plays they can make mistakes and need to improve. If they have a talent, a quality, they become better. Facundo can become an important player for us.”
The following month, after the youngster had scored a stunner in Albion’s 5-2 FA Cup win at Sheffield United, De Zerbi told The Athletic he wanted to see more from him in the no.10 role.
“My demand for Facundo is to shoot and make assists, because his qualities are clear. Facundo is another important young player and he is improving a lot. He’s a smart guy, a good guy. I can’t say anything (bad) about his attitude, behaviour on the pitch.
“He has big qualities. It’s difficult to change country when you are so young, to change the style of football because the Premier League is a different competition to all other leagues.
“But he is improving a lot. He played very well; I think the best game of his time at Brighton.”
Once De Zerbi had parted company with the Albion, although Buonanotte was involved in pre-season fixtures under Fabian Hurzeler, the Argentinian was sent out on a season-long loan to Leicester City.
Hurzeler said: “I hope first of all that he will play [for Leicester]. If you play every game, you will develop. He’s still a player for Brighton so we will watch his development.
“He was very good in training. Very happy with him. For me, it’s always important that players try to develop themselves. That only happens if they play. I hope he will get the minutes at Leicester and come back a stronger, better player.”
Although the Foxes were relegated back to the Championship, Buonanotte scored six goals in 35 matches and caught the eye of various observers. Ex-Arsenal and Leicester striker Alan Smith told Instant Casino: “He’s young and has a lot of improving to do before he’s top class. But to be playing so well for a team like Leicester who are in a different situation to Brighton as he has, he’ll certainly be an exciting talent going forwards, wherever he ends up.
“This loan period at Leicester will be great experience for the young midfielder as he is getting regular game time and really seems to be making a difference there. He’ll likely return to Brighton as an even better player with that experience under his belt.”
One of his problems in trying to nail down a permanent role at Brighton is competition in the positions best suited to him, and Hurzeler seems to have doubts about his application.
According to totalfootballanalysis.com: “He thrives in a free-attacking role that allows him to roam the pitch and exploit spaces. This makes him an exceptional creative playmaker, and his inclination to cut inside also makes him a remarkable roaming playmaker.”
Is his versatility an advantage or disadvantage? totalfootballanalysis.com maintains:
“Buonanotte possesses the ability to adapt effectively within different systems when required,” and it speculates his long-term potential could lie in the role of an advanced playmaker.
“This position typically involves a high volume of passes into the final third and direct creation of chances while in possession.”
The comparison to Messi may well have been a blessing and a curse, although Buonanotte told Sky Sports’ Nick Wright in December 2023: “It had an impact! To be compared to, for me, the best player in the world is something that grabs your attention.
“I was very grateful to Carlos (Tevez). It was amazing to be compared to Leo. But I always say that, in my opinion, there are no players who compare to him. It would be a lack of respect for me to compare myself to him because it’s impossible.
“Leo is the best player in the world, possibly in history, and I’m just starting out. I just want to be Facundo Buonanotte.”
It was not unusual to see Dublin selected as man of the match and several programmes featured pictures of the obligatory post-match presentation by the sponsor to the nattily-dressed defender. Dublin admitted in another profile piece that clothes and shopping were hobbies.
