Aston Villa: Update on £33m star's future, 'Gerrard really rates him'

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard really rates Emiliano Buendia and is unlikely to get rid of him this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Villa boss has made it clear that he will strengthen his squad when the market reopens, meaning players could be sold to make room, but it does not seem like Buendia will be one of them.

Gerrard’s men picked up some poor results in February, losing back-to-back games to Newcastle United and Watford, but things improved at the end of the month and the beginning of March following wins against Brighton and Southampton.

There is no doubt Gerrard’s mood would have improved, with the Liverpool legend’s frustration seen after those aforementioned defeats as he sent a warning to his squad.

“When we have another option to strengthen the team and squad we will take that opportunity. We will move the team forward. My standards will always remain high,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

It will now be interesting to see who gets the chop. Lucas Digne was recently brought in, which forced Matt Targett out, and you would expect more transfer movement in the summer after the Villa manager’s comments.

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Jones, though, does not think Buendia, who joined Villa from Norwich City for an initial £33m last summer, will be one of the players to leave at the end of the season.

The football journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “Buendia, to be honest, seems reasonably safe. I know that Gerrard really rates him, so I don’t think he would look to get rid of him.”

No. Buendia has had his struggles at times, with the 25-year-old only managing to grab a couple of goals and a few assists so far this season and barely