The attacking midfielder struggled for minutes under manager Unai Emery and has since joined Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso where he has made eight appearances but has yet to produce any goal contributions. The move has not quite worked out for the 28-year-old, who has made just one league start and clashed with teammate Victor Boniface earlier this month.
In an interview, Buendia revealed where his future lies and spoke on how he linked up with former River Plate star Exequiel Palacios as they spoke about their love for River Plate.
"We had some nice conversations, and I told him that thank God I was in Madrid and saw River Plate win the Copa Libertadores. Now I’m sharing a locker room with one of the guys who won it that day. I’ve always said I’m a River Plate fan."
However, despite his love for the club and desire to move to his childhood team Buendia believes the move is unlikely to happen and he will stay in Europe for a few more years.
"Right now, the truth is I don’t see it happening. I’m not thinking about it because I hope I have many years left in Europe, which I’m really enjoying. We’ll see in the future. Obviously, for me, River Plate is the most beautiful club in the world, and I’m a fan of it, and we’ll see what happens," he added.
Leverkusen have an option to sign Buendia permanently this summer for €20M (£16.7m) but according to German outlet Kicker, they are unlikely to trigger it. Buendia could be looking for a new home this summer and River Plate may swoop in if he decides his time in Europe is over.