Is Facundo Buonanotte's Loan Move to Chelsea One of the Worst of All Time

Chelsea’s game with Leeds was headline material for a host of reasons - firstly, the Blues, who after recent results had been tipped as potential title contenders, fell to a dismal defeat, in which a host of defensive errors proved costly.

Secondly, Leeds took all three points for just the second time in nine games, with their superb performance last night enough to drag them clear of the relegation zone, with West Ham taking their place in 18th.

Most importantly though, an eagle-eyed Chelsea fan spotted, or rather didn’t spot, any sign of Facundo Buonanotte in the Blues matchday squad. People started to do their research, and it turns out that the young Argentinian loanee hasn’t made any of Maresca’s last seven Premier League squads.

Facundo Buonanotte has not made the Chelsea match-day squad for the 7th game in a row.

Glad to see his loan move going well. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/si9zl1pzR0

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) December 3, 2025

There have been no reports of injuries or absences, nor is there any evidence of Buonanotte taking leave or training badly - it is clear that Maresca simply doesn’t believe he is the best fit for his side. But it begs the question - why did Maresca bring him in on loan in the first place?

An Odd Transfer

We must preface this discussion first - at just 20 years old, Buonanotte is still developing as a player, and though his numbers right now don’t flatter, there are plenty of signs that he could become a top-quality player.

However, when it was announced that the Argentine would be joining Chelsea on a vanilla season-long loan (there was no option to buy), eyebrows were raised. With no buy option, there was no incentive to play him, and though it was announced that he was brought in as squad depth for Cole Palmer, the two-month period in which the English talisman was injured saw Buonanotte take to the pitch on just four occasions.

🚨🔵 More on Facundo Buonanotte and Chelsea exclusive story.

The agreement with Buonanotte is 100% done, he’s accepted Chelsea proposal.

Chelsea and Brighton in very advanced talks for deal to be structured with initial loan. Very close now. #CFC 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/selTOpd0ED

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 29, 2025

The move was made to look even more odd when the attacking midfielder’s stats from last season are taken into account – playing 35 times while on loan at the eventually relegated Leicester City, he scored just six goals and assisted a further three.

These are perfectly acceptable numbers for a side that deserved to be relegated, but in reality, they weren’t even enough to secure him a spot in parent club Brighton’s squad for the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking of which, his stats for the Seagulls are no more impressive - in 50 games for the club, he has found the net just five times, and has contributed a measly two assists - far from the stats you want from your creative force behind the striker.

So why Chelsea, a team looking to make good on their Premier League and Champions League aspirations, decided to bring him in for just one season boggles the mind - if he is not going to be used regularly, then what is the point?

Buonanotte’s Time At Chelsea So Far

Buonanotte’s first couple of months at Stamford Bridge showed promise - adhering to the role of Palmer’s backup, the Argentinian featured three times in September, playing against Brentford, Benfica and Lincoln, even netting his first (and so far, only) against the last of the three.

Buonanotte’s first Chelsea goal! 🇦🇷#CFC | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/qnb7HpRkoP

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 24, 2025

With Palmer forced to the physio room at the end of September thanks to a groin injury that required surgery, many expected an increase in minutes for Buonanotte; however, Maresca decided against it, preferring either Joao Pedro or Enzo Fernandez in the role behind the striker as opposed to the Argentine.

Since the start of October, he has appeared just three more times, and none have come in the Premier League - he featured twice in the Champions League against Ajax and Qarabag, and once in the 4-3 League Cup win over Wolves.

He did make the squad for Chelsea’s superb triumph at home to Barcelona, but was never even called off the bench to warm up, let alone take to the field.

It seems that despite the tag of backup, Buonanotte’s role has diminished to bench-warmer, and at the moment, there is no obvious sign that Maresca has a plan for him. Again, he is a young player, and perhaps the manager is allowing the Brighton man half a season to develop and force his way into the Chelsea team, but with three or four players ahead of him, it looks extremely unlikely that he will force his way up Chelsea’s stacked pecking order in the six months that remain on his loan deal.

Never heard of Arthur Melo since that Liverpool loan signing 😭 pic.twitter.com/SLVPfTErpJ

— AnfieldLiveHQ (@AnfieldLiveHQ) January 23, 2025

Over the course of its 33-year history, the Premier League has witnessed some of the most questionable loan moves of all time - Arthur Melo to Liverpool, Alexandre Pato to Chelsea, Steven Caulker to Liverpool - but should Buonanotte continue to miss out on squad selection, his name will be right up there in that list as one of the worst Premier League loans of all time.