Fabian Balbuena in talks with Real Betis ahead of West Ham exit – report
West Ham defender Fabian Balbuena is in talks with Real Betis ahead of a potential reunion with former Irons manager Manuel Pellegrini, according to Mucho Deporte.
The Spanish news outlet claims an agreement to take the 29-year-old to Spain “could shortly be a fact”, with the Paraguayan international attracted by the Betis project and the opportunity to work under Pellegrini, who signed him for West Ham in 2018.
Balbuena has other offers from Italy, as per Mucho Deporte’s report, but he has been “seduced” by the Andalusia club.
Angel Haro, president of Real Betis, confirmed contacts had been made. He said: “He is a player we are following, he is interesting. He knows the coach.”
Balbuena will be free able to sign as a free agent after West Ham announced on their club website last week that he would be leaving after his contract expires on June 30.
Agreeable exit
Balbuena was a solid enough defender for the Irons without ever truly imposing himself as a dependable option in the backline.
He had his fair share of awkward moments, which ultimately prevented him from becoming a mainstay in the starting XI, but we’ve certainly seen our fair share of dodgy defenders over the years and he wouldn’t be among the bottom barrel by a long stretch.
Ultimately, he suffered as a result of Pellegrini’s sacking. In his first season in east London he made 23 Premier League appearances, which has proven to be his highest total in the three seasons he spent at the London Stadium.
He was a regular at the start of the 2020/21 campaign but the emergence of Craig Dawson as a crucial member of the starting XI pushed him out of contention.
With Dawson signed on a permanent deal and Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop ahead of him in the pecking order, Balbuena’s departure has seemed inevitable for some time.
But Betis represents a good move for Balbuena after they matched our achievement of finishing sixth and securing Europa League football.
In other West Ham news, a reliable journalist has detailed a ‘Significant’ clause behind an expected Irons transfer reported by Sky Sports.
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