Aston Villa’s Emi Buendía has opened the door to return to Argentina in the future.
The Argentina international arrived in Europe when Real Madrid signed him for their academy in 2009 and has been in the continent since then. He spent eight years at Getafe before moving to England in 2018, when Norwich City signed him.
Aston Villa took the attacking midfielder from the Canaries in 2021 and he’s been a regular for the Villans since then.
The 26-year-old sat down for an interview with ESPN, where he was specifically asked to pick between River Plate or Boca Juniors.
Responding to that, he said: “River fan since I was a kid. I always dreamed of playing football, playing for River, and well, obviously, I never close the door.
Buendía has a deal until 2026 and that would make any potential operation complicated for River Plate, if they are keen to secure his services.
"SIEMPRE SOÑÉ CON JUGAR EN RIVER"
🗣️ Emi Buendía, de presente en el Aston Villa, contó de dónde nace su fanatismo por el Millonario y aseguró que en un futuro evaluará la posibilidad de jugar en la Argentina.pic.twitter.com/V7GUcrZrNC
— ESPN Argentina (@ESPNArgentina) March 17, 2023
Unai Emery has used the South American across multiple attacking positions at Aston Villa this season. He’s scored four goals and managed an assist from 29 appearances in all competitions.
