The board of Independiente will begin negotiations to extend the contract of 35-year-old Paraguayan centre-forward Gabriel Ávalos, whose contract ends at the end of the season. The board's decision to work on the extension came after they rejected an offer from Fluminense, which was reported in March 2026 to be US$3 million. The negotiation is expected to be economically complicated. In February 2026, it was reported that Independiente would only consider a sale for an offer exceeding US$4 million. In the current 2025/2026 Torneo Apertura season, Ávalos has 4 goals and 2 assists in 8 appearances. Gabriel Ávalos, who has 21 caps and 2 goals for his country, expressed that he was excited about being part of Paraguay's national team for the 2026 World Cup. In addition to Fluminense, he has also been linked with Talleres Córdoba and Olimpia. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €800k.