Aston Villa The season concluded with silverware, but Emiliano Buendia's summer did not go exactly to plan.
The midfielder played a key role in Villa's Europa League victory. He also recently made headlines by openly discussing his dream of one day playing for River Plate in Argentina.
Yet despite finishing the campaign strongly, he was left out of Lionel Scaloni's final Argentina squad for the World Cup.
It appears that the door to international participation will be closed this summer. However, a recent report dsports radio There are suggestions that Buendia may not be completely out of the picture.
Holidays 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 that national team representatives informed him to continue training if a late call-up became necessary due to fitness concerns elsewhere in the team. And... this This has happened to him only last year.
The report does not indicate that a call-up is imminent. Instead, it appears that Buendia is among the players being kept on standby should Argentina need reinforcements before or during the tournament.
Why Buendia might still have a chance?
local outlet bugle Explained in detail Argentina's injury situation ahead of the World Cup.
The good news for Lionel Scaloni is that many of the team's biggest concerns are being eased. Cristian Romero has returned to full training after his knee injury, while Julián Álvarez has also completed his recovery and is working as normal with the group.
However, Argentina are still keeping an eye on some players. Leandro Paredes remains the most worrying case and is looking for time to be fit for the opening match.
Gonzalo Montiel is also struggling to recover from a muscle injury. Meanwhile, Nicolas Gonzalez and Emiliano Martínez are being carefully managed. Recently, Thiago Almada, another player struggling with fitness problems, trained without any restrictions.
Lionel Messi is also progressing as expected after suffering a hamstring problem during Inter Miami's MLS campaign. Meanwhile, highly rated Como youngster Nicolás Paz is recovering from a knee problem and is under the close observation of Argentina's medical staff.
From a positional standpoint, the injuries that will realistically open the door for Buendia are those affecting Nicolas Gonzalez, Thiago Almada and Nicolas Paz.
Buendia's profile fits that mold far more naturally than Leandro Paredes' role. His absence will likely be covered by more defensive or central midfield options.
Messi is another theoretical possibility given the areas of the pitch he dominates, although replacing the Argentina captain is a unique challenge.
Another layer of uncertain heat
The update comes during an already uncertain period for Buendia. His contract at Aston Villa expires in June 2027, leaving the club with decisions to make in the coming months.
Turkish reports have linked him to Possible interest from Galatasaray. Meanwhile, Buendia himself recently admitted that Future Steps Towards River Plate A personal ambition remains.
However, thinking about transfers may have to wait for now.
Buendia was looking forward to the summer break after missing out on World Cup selection. Instead, if Argento's latest claims are true, he has been instructed to keep his shoes on and his phone nearby.
