Aston Villa’s season ended with silverware, but Emiliano Buendía’s summer has not gone exactly as planned.
The midfielder played a key role in Villa’s Europa League triumph. He also recently made headlines in Argentina after openly discussing his dream of one day playing for River Plate.
Yet despite ending the campaign strongly, he was left out of Lionel Scaloni’s final Argentina squad for the World Cup.
That appeared to close the door on international involvement this summer. However, a fresh report from DSports Radio suggests Buendía may not be completely out of the picture.
Vacation postponed
According to the Argentine outlet, the Aston Villa player has been told to ‘remain on alert and postpone his holiday plans’.
The report claims representatives from the national team informed him to continue training in case a late call-up becomes necessary because of fitness concerns elsewhere in the squad. And… it already happened to him last year.
The report does not suggest a call-up is imminent. Instead, it appears Buendía is among the players being kept ready should Argentina need reinforcements before or during the tournament.
Why Buendía may still have a chance
Local outlet Clarín detailed Argentina’s injury situation ahead of the World Cup.
The good news for Lionel Scaloni is that several of the squad’s biggest concerns are easing. Cristian Romero has returned to full training after his knee injury, while Julián Álvarez has also completed his recovery and is back working normally with the group.
However, Argentina are still monitoring a handful of players. Leandro Paredes remains the most concerning case and is racing against time to be fit for the opening match.
Gonzalo Montiel is also struggling to recover from a muscle injury. Meanwhile, Nicolás González and Emiliano Martínez continue to be managed carefully. Thiago Almada, another player carrying a recent fitness issue, trained without restrictions.
Lionel Messi is also progressing as expected after a hamstring issue suffered during Inter Miami’s MLS campaign. Meanwhile, highly-rated Como youngster Nicolás Paz is recovering from a knee problem and remains under close observation from Argentina’s medical staff.
From a positional perspective, the injuries that would most realistically open the door for Buendía are those affecting Nicolás González, Thiago Almada and Nicolás Paz.
Buendía’s profile fits that mould far more naturally than it does the role occupied by Leandro Paredes. His absence would likely be covered by a more defensive or central midfield option.
Messi is another theoretical possibility given the area of the pitch he influences, although replacing the Argentina captain is a unique challenge.
Another layer to uncertain summer
The update arrives during an already uncertain period for Buendía. His contract at Aston Villa expires in June 2027, leaving the club with decisions to make over the coming months.
Turkish reports have linked him with potential interest from Galatasaray. Meanwhile, Buendía himself recently admitted that a future move to River Plate remains a personal ambition.
For now, though, thoughts of transfers may have to wait.
Buendía was expecting a summer break after missing out on World Cup selection. Instead, if the latest claims from Argentina are accurate, he has been instructed to keep his boots on and his phone nearby.
