# Facundo Buonanotte

Facundo Valentín Buonanotte (born 23 December 2004) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Leicester City, on loan from Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, and the Argentina national team.

## Club career
### Rosario Central

Buonanotte is a product of the youth academy of Rosario Central since the age of 10. He made his professional debut as a substitute for Rosario Central against Arsenal de Sarandí on 11 February 2022. In a Copa Argentina penalty shootout win over Sol de Mayo on 13 May 2022, he scored the game-winning penalty. The next day, on 14 May 2022, he signed his first professional contract with Rosario Central. He scored his first senior goal in a 1–0 Argentine Primera División win over Sarmiento on 8 July 2022.

### Brighton & Hove Albion

On 1 January 2023, Buonanotte joined the academy of Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion for an estimated fee of £5.3m, with an additional £5.3m dependent on objectives being met. He made his debut for the "Seagulls" on 4 February, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute replacing Tariq Lamptey as Brighton went on to beat AFC Bournemouth with a 87th-minute Kaoru Mitoma goal. Buonanotte made his first start for Brighton on 28 February, playing 69 minutes of the 1–0 away win over Stoke City of the Championship with Brighton advancing to the FA Cup quarter-finals. Buonanotte claimed an assist four days later, setting up Danny Welbeck's strike, the last of the game in the 4–0 home win over West Ham United. The 18-year-old gained his first Premier League start on 26 April, where he scored his first goal for the club, opening the score in the eventual 3–1 away loss at Nottingham Forest.

#### Loan to Leicester City

On 10 August 2024, Buonanotte went on loan to fellow Premier League club Leicester City for the 2024–25 season. He made his Leicester debut on 19 August 2024 in a 1-1 home draw against Tottenham Hotspur. His first goal came on 31 August in a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa.

## International career

Buonanotte was called up to the Argentina national under-20 football team for the 2022 Maurice Revello Tournament in France. In January 2023, he was once again called up to the national under-20 football team ahead of the 2023 South American Championship.
On 3 March 2023 he received his first call-up for the Argentina senior squad for friendly matches against Panama and Curacao. He made his senior debut on 19 June in a 2–0 win away to Indonesia.

## Personal life

Buonanotte was born in Argentina and is of Italian descent, holding dual citizenship.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 16 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Rosario Central | 2022 | Argentine Primera División | 32 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 4 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2022–23 | Premier League | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2023–24 | Premier League | 27 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 4 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Total | Total | 40 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 5 |
| Leicester City (loan) | 2024–25 | Premier League | 25 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 5 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 97 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 14 |
* ↑ Includes Copa Argentina, FA Cup
* ↑ Includes EFL Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

### International

    As of match played 22 March 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Argentina | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Argentina | 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 2 | 0 |