Buendia (right) has just won promotion to the Premier League for the second time with NorwichAston Villa have announced a club-record deal worth an initial £33m for Norwich midfielder Emiliano Buendia.
Villa have moved swiftly to head off potential interest from Arsenal.
The Argentine, 24, was the Canaries’ player of the season as they cruised to the Championship title last season and a return to the Premier League.
The deal, which could rise to £38m with add-ons, was announced by both clubs on Monday although Buendia is yet to have his medical.
That will be done after Argentina’s World Cup qualifying game against Colombia on Tuesday night.
The total package – which also includes a sell-on clause of 10% – eclipses Villa’s signing of Ollie Watkins from Brentford last summer, which was an initial £28m rising to £32m with add-ons.
Buendia has won promotion twice in his three years with Norwich, either side of making 36 Premier League appearances as the Canaries were relegated in 2019-20.
There was a sell-on clause in the deal that saw Norwich sign him from Getafe for £1.5m in 2018 but the Carrow Road club bought this out.
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