Aston Villa’s Europa League triumph has pushed Emiliano Buendía back into the spotlight at the perfect time for the club – and also at an awkward moment regarding his future.
The Argentine midfielder was one of Villa’s standout performers during the latter stages of the competition. However, uncertainty around his long-term situation has not gone away.
Recent reports linked him with a possible move to Turkish side Galatasaray, while his current contract at Villa Park now runs down to just over a year.
That means Buendía will be able to negotiate a free transfer with foreign clubs from January unless Aston Villa extend his deal or sell him this summer.
Against that backdrop, the 29-year-old has now opened the door to another future possibility – one which probably will not delight everyone in Argentina… Or in Birmingham.
Homecoming dream revealed
As relayed by Argentine outlet TN Deportivo, Buendía admitted his dream is to play for River Plate one day. He also made clear he would reject a move to rivals Boca Juniors, even if club legend Juan Román Riquelme, now their Director of Football, personally called him.
“River is the only club in Argentina,” Buendía said. “If Román calls me? No, not there.”
He then added: “Playing for River is the dream I had since I was a kid.”
That is a pretty emphatic stance considering Boca remain one of the most iconic clubs in world football. It also reinforces how strongly Buendía still identifies with River despite spending almost his entire professional career abroad.
The midfielder left Argentina as a teenager to join Getafe before later starring for Norwich City and eventually Aston Villa.
Europa League win changes the picture
Emiliano Buendía’s future looked far less certain earlier this season. His recovery from a serious ACL injury a few years ago had already complicated things, while Villa’s squad depth increased again after another aggressive recruitment push.
Nevertheless, he ended the campaign strongly. His displays in Europe helped Villa finally win silverware under Unai Emery, and that could yet influence the club’s thinking ahead of the summer window.
Villa also face a delicate contract situation. Buendía’s deal expires in June 2027, which weakens their leverage with every passing month.
That explains why clubs abroad are already watching closely, and attention will likely grow if it becomes clear Villa are willing to negotiate.
River dream now out in the open
Buendía also revealed he still tries to follow River whenever possible despite the time difference from England.
“I don’t watch much Argentine football, mainly River,” he explained. “The schedules are difficult but I try to keep up.”
He also shared memories from the 2018 Copa Libertadores final in Madrid. Buendía said he stayed in the same hotel as the River squad before the match and later met club icon Enzo Francescoli in a lift. At that point, according to Buendía, asking for a photo became unavoidable.
Whether Aston Villa keep him beyond this summer remains unclear. However, Buendía has now made one thing very obvious – if he ever returns to Argentina, there is only one destination he truly wants.
