Buchanan nears loan deal to Villarreal
Published
We're getting closer to knowing what’s next for Tajon Buchanan. Sources confirmed to TSN that the Canadian midfielder is en route to Spain to complete a loan deal with Villarreal in Spain’s La Liga until the end of the season.
The deal is subject to a medical, which could take place Thursday night, and finalizing personal terms between Buchanan and the fifth-place team in La Liga. There is no sense of rush to get the deal done; the January transfer and loan window closes at the beginning of next week.
Villarreal will pay a loan fee of $ 1.5 million and the deal also comes with an option to buy Buchanan from Inter Milan at the end of the loan, worth $19.5 million. But that doesn’t necessarily indicate Buchanan’s time with Inter is over.
But there’s no doubt it is an important moment for Buchanan, who hasn’t played regularly since his $8 million move to Inter last January. Buchanan also broke his leg at Copa América and was out almost four months.
He made only 16 league substitute appearances for Inter and wasn’t breaking through, and it appeared Buchanan was stuck behind Denzel Dumfries – a stalwart on the right side of Inter's midfield and defence for the past four seasons. Buchanan’s few opportunities typically came when Inter were up by multiple goals.
That said, lnter played Buchanan the requisite 10 times last season so he could earn a Serie A winner’s medal – that’s a big deal. And Inter didn’t just send Buchanan away to a backwater – Villarreal is battling for a spot in next season's Champions League.
Over the years, Villarreal has been known by its trademark plucky vigour, and the team is rarely boring. This season, Villarreal is third in La Liga scoring behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, and attacks well down the wing, which, on the surface, suits Buchanan. TSN learned Ipswich Town, Galatasaray, Monza, and Torino were all interested in Buchanan, too.
From Buchanan’s initial meeting with Inter two weeks ago, which TSN first reported, to the team's preference that Buchanan stay in Italy, to Buchanan's preference that he go to Spain, the Brampton, Ont., native has had his own news cycle.
On top of that, Buchanan's story kicked off an intriguing month for Canadians playing in Europe as Alphonso Davies’ contract extension, Jonathan David’s next destination, and Ismaël Koné’s future became stories chased internationally.
When can anyone say they’ve seen this much news about Canadian men playing in Europe? Especially for a player like Buchanan, who hasn’t played regularly in a year.
All the attention is nice, but there are no guarantees for Buchanan once he moves to Spain. Sources also say Villarreal aren’t just handing him a starting spot. Circle right midfielder Yeremy Pino on Villarreal’s roster because he is likely the guy Buchanan will have to beat to regularly get on the field.
Add that to adjusting to another new country and another new language and Buchanan is facing the same challenge for playing time he faced in Italy. He’s just exchanging Inter’s black and blue stripes for Villarreal’s canary yellow.