Emiliano Buendia Nears New Aston Villa Contract Until 2029

Emiliano Buendia Close to New Aston Villa Contract Running Until 2028-29

Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia is close to agreeing a new contract that would run until the end of the 2028-29 season, according to the Daily Mail. The Argentine, whose current terms expire at the end of this campaign, has forced his way back into Unai Emery's plans.

Headline deal: Buendia is close to agreeing a new Aston Villa contract running to the end of 2028-29
Current situation: His existing terms are due to expire at the end of the current season
Source: Reported by the Daily Mail
Player age: Buendia is 29 and turns 30 on Christmas Day
Next match: Villa face Viking in the Champions League on Wednesday, chasing a third league phase win from three
Recent form: He started the 1-0 win at Newcastle United at St James' Park

Deal details

Buendia's present agreement runs out at the end of this season, and Villa were keen to act before the Argentine drifted into the final 18 months of his deal protected by an extension option alone. The proposed new terms, per the Daily Mail, stretch to the close of the 2028-29 campaign. No fee is involved.

The report frames the move as sensible business as much as a reward for perseverance. For a squad competing on multiple fronts, securing trusted attacking depth on a long-term deal is a straightforward piece of planning — and it formalises a recovery that few would have predicted 18 months ago.

The contract is understood to have progressed through encouraging discussions rather than being signed, so the stage is best described as advanced talks. Villa have not confirmed the agreement publicly.

Why Buendia's standing has changed at Aston Villa

The context is striking. The report states Buendia was so far out of the picture at Villa in summer 2025 that he was even proposed to city rivals Birmingham. At that point a long-term extension felt improbable; now it looks like the natural next step.

His output has shifted the picture. Buendia scored one of Villa's defining goals in the Europa League final win over Freiburg in Istanbul last May, a success that delivered the club's first major trophy since 1996. He also struck another spectacular goal in the 3-2 win at Tottenham before the international break — his third goal in as many matches at Spurs' stadium.

Unai Emery's public backing has been consistent. In November last year the Villa manager said: "Everything that happened around him, he deserved it because he worked hard to recover his best form as a player." He added: "When we decided to keep him here, and he decided to stay here as well, I was confident he could get the numbers he is achieving." Those comments now read like an early signal of exactly where this was heading.

What was said

"Everything that happened around him, he deserved it because he worked hard to recover his best form as a player."
— Unai Emery, Aston Villa manager, speaking in November last year

"When we decided to keep him here, and he decided to stay here as well, I was confident he could get the numbers he is achieving."
— Unai Emery, on Buendia's revival

Read together, Emery's remarks amount to a manager explaining a decision that looked risky at the time and now looks vindicated. The emphasis is on work and recovery rather than raw talent alone, which is precisely the profile of player a coach trusts in a long, multi-competition season.

The framing also matters for the dressing room. Emery is publicly crediting effort, availability and production, and Villa are now ready to underwrite that message with a fresh long-term agreement. Players notice which contributions get rewarded.

The numbers

29: Buendia's current age, turning 30 on Christmas Day
2028-29: The end of the proposed new contract
1996: The year of Villa's previous major trophy before the Europa League win
3: Goals in as many matches at Tottenham's stadium, including the strike in the 3-2 win before the international break
1-0: Villa's win at Newcastle United at St James' Park, in which Buendia started
3 from 3: The Champions League league phase wins Villa are chasing against Viking on Wednesday

Why Emery trusts Buendia in a multi-front season

Buendia gives Emery something specific: quality in tight spaces, imagination around the box and the nerve to produce in big moments. Those traits are hard to buy mid-season and harder still to replace with a signing who needs months to absorb the manager's demands.

Villa are competing across domestic and European fronts, and depth is what converts a strong XI into points and trophies. Keeping a trusted attacker who already understands the system is cheaper and safer than gambling on a replacement. The goals in Istanbul and at Tottenham are the evidence base.

Squad rotation still applies. Buendia could drop to the bench for Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Viking even after starting the 1-0 win at Newcastle, because Emery rotates. The contract, though, points to renewed relevance rather than marginal status.

Talking points

Is a deal to 2028-29 for a player who turns 30 on Christmas Day too long, given Villa's need for flexibility in the market?
Does Buendia's revival say more about his resilience or about Emery's judgment in keeping a player others would have moved on?
With rotation likely against Viking, should Buendia now be considered a first-choice starter or a high-quality squad option?
Would Villa have been better served selling in summer 2025, when he was proposed to Birmingham, and reinvesting the funds?

What happens next

Villa visit Viking on Wednesday in the Champions League, chasing a third league phase win from three. Buendia's involvement — starting or from the bench — will be watched closely, with the new contract expected to be finalised in the same window. Completing it before his current terms run down protects Villa's position.

Frequently asked questions

Is Emiliano Buendia signing a new Aston Villa contract?

Yes, he is close to agreeing a new deal, according to the Daily Mail, with the proposed contract understood to run until the end of the 2028-29 campaign.