Erwin Saavedra could be faced with packing up and returning home following an injury-ravaged first full season at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Saavedra joined Sundowns at the beginning of last year from Bolivar FC after The Brazilians put in an irresistible offer.
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Fifteen months into his stay at Sundowns, Saavedra is still to play 90 minutes.
Saavedra arrived this month last year from his Bolivar La Paz in his homeland with plenty expectations as a regular for the Bolivia national team.
From making three appearances in a row in both domestic and continental fixtures after his arrival, the Bolivian then disappeared as the reality of his adjustment and injury concerns set in.
The 27-year-old ultimately ended up with only four appearances and into the 2022/23 only played six games and was last fielded in the dead rubber CAF Champions League group stages match against Coton Sport on April 1.
All that Saavedra had to his name this past season was 165 minutes.
Concerning for Saavedra is that since joining Sundowns, he has also lost out on his national team place having done little to convince the national team selectors to retain him.
His last appearance came against Chile in February in a World Cup qualifier straight after which he then flew out across the South Atlantic Ocean to South Africa.
Sundowns have cited injury concerns and the process of adjusting to being in an English-speaking country as the reason for his battles.
Word from South America is that Bolivar want him back after a slow start to their title defence.
The club from La Paz are already 10 points behind leaders The Strongest well before the halfway mark of the season and have indicated their intention to bring Saavedra back.
The issue would be how they do it considering that he is now on an improved package since leaving and is not in the best fitness condition.
However, it is felt he can still be of use for the season which still has over 20 games remaining.
Though he hasn’t played much, Saavedra won the league twice and added the Nedbank Cup to his trophy collection.
He is registered as one of four foreign players at the club along with Abubeker Nasir Ahmed (Ethiopia), Abdelmounaim Boutouil (Morocco), and Marcelo Allende (Chile) with Gaston Sirino now playing as a local.
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