Facundo Buonanotte Impresses Chelsea Teammates After Recent Signing

London, England — Facundo Buonanotte has quickly made an impression on his new Chelsea teammates since joining the club on transfer deadline day. During a recent behind-closed-doors friendly, he scored three goals, drawing praise from fellow players.

The match involved senior players not called up for international duty alongside Chelsea’s under-21 team. Following his performance, several players congratulated the 20-year-old Argentine.

Chelsea staff have noted his solid fitness levels, marking an encouraging start for Buonanotte at Stamford Bridge. However, winning over Chelsea fans could be a bigger challenge. Many had their eyes on other top talents like Xavi Simons, who transferred to Tottenham from RB Leipzig.

Buonanotte joins Chelsea on loan without an option to buy, although the club retains matching rights should another team pursue the Brighton player next summer. Chelsea has established a recurring business relationship with Brighton since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took over and that may lessen excitement about Buonanotte’s arrival.

Since his arrival, Buonanotte has meshed well with other Argentine players on the team, including Enzo Fernandez and Alejandro Garnacho. His familiarity with Moises Caicedo, Robert Sanchez, and Joao Pedro from their time at Brighton may help him settle into the squad more quickly.

Having already made 71 Premier League appearances and spent over two years in England, Buonanotte’s adaptation period is expected to be brief. His fluency in English adds to his readiness to contribute.

Current Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca shared his optimism about Buonanotte’s potential impact, noting his previous experience at Leicester City. ‘He’s a player who can help us,’ Maresca said. ‘With so many competitions, he’ll definitely get games.’

Despite initial confusion regarding his immediate usage in the squad and missing out on the Champions League roster, the club has communicated these decisions to him, and he remains determined to make his mark.

Buonanotte’s versatility allows him to play on the wings but prefers the number 10 role, where he might compete for minutes with Cole Palmer, who recently returned from injury. While a loan to Leeds could have guaranteed more playing time, Buonanotte chose Chelsea for its competitiveness in domestic cup opportunities.

Brighton’s management has maintained high hopes for Buonanotte, confirming their commitment to his development regardless of his temporary move. ‘He’s a great player and a great character,’ said Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler.

As Buonanotte embraces this significant chapter in his career, he aims to establish himself at Chelsea and possibly vie for selection to Argentina’s World Cup squad in the future.