Emiliano Buendia is closing in on a new Aston Villa contract after fighting his way back from the fringes to become one of Unai Emery's most trusted attackers, with talks over a deal running until 2029 now at an advanced stage.
Aston Villa are in discussions with Buendia about a new contract, according to Sky Sports News, whose sources say it would be premature to call an agreement close but confirm talks are ongoing. Mail Sport, reported by TNT Sports, goes further, saying progress in the last few days has left both parties nearing an agreement on terms until the summer of 2029.
The Argentina international, 29, is in the final stretch of his current deal, which Sky Sports News reports expires next summer. Villa do not want a player of his current importance drifting towards free agency.
From the Fringes to Emery's First Team
Buendia's revival is the story behind the contract. He has started all seven of Villa's Premier League games so far this season, scoring once, and he also scored in the Champions League win at Club Brugge and played the full UEFA Super Cup final loss against Paris Saint-Germain.
That is a remarkable turnaround. In the summer of 2025 Buendia was so far out of the picture at Villa Park that, as TNT Sports notes, he was even proposed to city rivals Birmingham. Instead he stayed, worked his way back into Emery's plans, and scored the unforgettable goal in the Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul last May that helped Villa win their first major trophy since 1996.
This season he has kept that momentum, including another stunning strike in Villa's recent 3-2 victory over Tottenham — his third goal in as many appearances at Spurs' stadium — and a starting role in the 1-0 win at Newcastle.
What a New Deal Would Mean
So what does this mean for Villa? Tying Buendia down until 2029 removes a growing risk. A creative attacker who is starting every league game cannot be allowed to run his contract down, especially with Villa balancing a Premier League campaign with a Champions League run that continues against Viking this week.
It also rewards perseverance rather than reputation. Buendia joined Villa from Norwich City in 2021 and has had to rebuild his standing more than once. A two-year extension beyond his current terms would keep him at Villa Park through what should be the prime remaining years of his career — he turns 30 on Christmas Day — and give Emery settled attacking depth without entering the transfer market.
For Buendia himself, the message is simple: the manager who once overlooked him now builds around his work between the lines, his pressing and his habit of producing in big games.
Beyond the Final Whistle
Beyond the Final Whistle: this is the contract Villa had to offer. Buendia is no longer a fringe player hoping for minutes — he is a Europa League final scorer starting every week for Emery, and letting him edge towards a free transfer would have been careless. If the 2029 deal is signed, it will be one of the most earned renewals in the Premier League this season. Villa fans — does Buendia deserve to be one of the first names on the team sheet, or should Emery still be looking for an upgrade in January?
