BUENDIA PUTTING HIS PRICE UP
Emi shows once again that he is too good for Championship
KENNY McLEAN N knows there’s no one of Emi Buendia’s talent t in the Championship. Trouble rouble is, so does every Premier League scout.
It was McLean’s long ong ball – from only just inside nside the Barnsley half – that the Argentinian volleyed ed home (right) to earn table-topping e-topping Canaries a 14th win in 23 league outings.
And it was the second time this season that the 24-yearold, already heavily linked with Arsenal, had scored a goal that was simply too good for the Championship.
Against the Tykes, he lost his markers with a run into the box and hit the ball first time.
At Bristol City in October, he took a similar ball over the top down on a toe before slotting it past the keeper.
Scotland midfielder McLean said: “The quality Emi’s got is there in abundance every week.“
“He doesn’t make runs for the sake of it
– and the quality of that finish was just sublime.”
How true.
Could anyone else in the Champishowing Championship have scored that?
“Of f the top of my head, there’s no one but
Em i , ”
Mc L e a n insisted.
“He’s a standout in this league and is showing it more and more now on a consistent basis, which is going to take us to new levels.
“That type of player can sometimes go missing in games but Emi is always demanding. He makes my job so easy.” Norw ich boss Daniel Farke (circled above) is adamant Buendia is staying put for now. Under contract, not for sale, nothing to see here, thank you. And that will be the case all al l month unless the Gunners Gunners, or whoever, pay big bucks. Arsenal are said to be willing to stump up £15million for a player Norwich value at almost three times that figure. Buendia’s goals and assists are on course to take them back to the top flight and a £100m jackpot. Norwich have already played hardball this season with Liverpool over Jamal
Lewis, who instead went wentt to Newcastle for double the £8m the champions offered, anda and extracted a club record £25m2 £25m plus add-ons for Ben Godffrey Godfrey from Everton.
Even Barcelona were told toldt where to go after a cheeky looan loan bid for Max Aarons.
Barnsley had won five out ouut of six before this one.
But if Teemu Pukki had been beeen more clinical they would have lost by two or three three.
Yet they might still have ave nicked a point at the end when hen defender Michal Helik poked ked wide in stoppage time.
Striker Cauley Woodrow, ow, who has clocked up 100 Tykes ykes games, said: “We’ve lost before fore and bounced straight back k so we’ll do that now. It’s a defeat, feat, but not a terrible defeat.”