User blog comment:IamJakuhoRaikoben/Chapter 441: Caracole Island, Review./@comment-4449950-20150622053325/@comment-3290324-20150622054414

Sooner would be better than later. Although I'm pretty sure he'll appear at some point as well. Besides what you've mentioned already, Albareth is pretty damn powerful - especially the Spriggan Twelve. And Fairy Tail is going to need all the powerful warriors they can get to assist in the inevitable battles to come.