“I could easily see him getting sent to one of the 17 clubs they own” - Troy Deeney delivers verdict on underwhelming Chelsea summer signing

Pundit Troy Deeney has shared his thoughts on Chelsea signing Facundo Buonanotte this summer. He said that he is "underwhelmed" by the signing and added that the Argentine isn't better than the club's current players.

The west London side were heavily linked with a move for an attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window. However, their targets, Xavi Simons and Fermin Lopez, joined Tottenham Hotspur and stayed at Barcelona, respectively. The Blues then signed Buonanotte on a season-long loan deal from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Troy Deeney shared his thoughts on the signing on The Football Exchange Podcast, saying:

"It wouldn’t be a transfer window if Chelsea didn’t sign anyone from Brighton! I’ve been underwhelmed, but he’s young, he’s 20 years old."

"He was at Leicester last year and showed flashes of brilliance, but, again, the fact that Brighton are willing to cash out on him and he didn’t play last year, he hasn’t played this season for them… It’s Chelsea’s model again and I could easily see him getting sent to one of the 17 [sic] clubs they own in their pool! He’s not going to be better than what Chelsea have already got."

Buonanotte joined Brighton from Rosario Central in the summer of 2023 and has made 50 appearances for them, recording five goals and two assists. He was on loan at Leicester City last season, contributing six goals and three assists in 35 games, but couldn't help them avoid relegation.

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Facundo Buonanotte opens up on joining Chelsea this summer

The Argentine spoke after completing his transfer to Stamford Bridge and expressed his delight. He also mentioned that his compatriot and one of Chelsea's captains, Enzo Fernández, played a role in his move.

Buonanotte said (via the club's website):

"It’s a great step in my career. I’m really happy to be here and ready to offer as much as I can to the team and the staff. I’m sure it will be a positive season. Of course, I’ll get the opportunity to play in the Champions League for the first time, which will be a great challenge. I’m really looking forward to this season and hopefully I can help the club to achieve its goals."

“I spoke with Enzo [Fernandez] and I think his message was very important because he is one of the captains of the team.”

The Blues have had a decent start to the 2025-26 campaign with two wins and one draw in their three Premier League games. They will next face Brentford away in the league on September 13 before facing Bayern Munich away in the UEFA Champions League four days later.