Agent clarifies Fabián Balbuena's situation amid Olimpia transfer rumors

Rumors linking Paraguayan central defender Fabián Balbuena to a return to the Paraguayan league with Club Olimpia have been addressed by his representative, Renato Bittar. Bittar clarified the player's current contractual situation, stating that Balbuena has one year left on a "very important" contract with his Brazilian club, Gremio.

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The truth is that he has one more year of contract there with Gremio. It is a very important contract. Honestly, Gremio has not asked me at any time to look for a club for Fabián or anything like that.

Bittar emphasized that Gremio has not approached him about finding a new club for Balbuena, nor has the player expressed a strong desire to leave Porto Alegre. While acknowledging that it is normal for local teams to show interest when Paraguayan players abroad are not getting consistent playtime, Bittar stressed that Balbuena is not being overlooked at Gremio. He was on the bench for the last match, indicating he is still part of the team's plans, even if not a consistent starter.

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What happens when our players, Paraguayans playing abroad, start to get a certain age and, in this case, Fabi, for reasons, is not having the continuity he always had, interest from local teams starts to generate to distribute him. It's a normal market issue; nothing more, nothing less than that. Today he has a contract with Gremio, Gremio has no intention today of taking him away, and that's all there is.

The main impediment to any potential move to Paraguayan football, according to Bittar, is financial. Balbuena's current contract with Gremio involves a salary that is "very elevated" for a national league team. "That would be the obstacle," Bittar stated, if discussions were to progress further. While Balbuena's stature might naturally attract interest from major clubs, especially given his international status, the economic realities present a significant hurdle for a transfer back to Paraguay at this time.

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That he is not being considered, that is not the case. He was a substitute, he was on the bench the last game, he is not recurrently a starter; that is the reality of the situation today. And then there is the issue of his contract: it is a very high contract for a national team, to be honest. That would be the obstacle in case we go further, doing a bit of futurology. Finally, it is a numerical issue.