Real Betis Balompié closed the summer transfer window with the signing of Dani Ceballos and the sale of Pablo García to Racing de Santander. The Seville-based club finalized its business before the deadline.
Ceballos signed a three-season contract that ties him to Betis until 2029. The Madrid-born midfielder will wear the number 25 shirt upon his return to the club, as more common numbers were taken. His arrival came without a transfer fee, as he joined as a free agent after his contract with Arsenal ended.
What deals did Betis complete?
The most notable departure was that of Pablo García. The defender moved to Racing de Santander for 5.5 million euros, though Betis retains 50% of his economic rights. The club also resolved the situations of several players not in manager Manuel Pellegrini's plans.
Chimy Ávila terminated his contract for 50,000 euros. Pau López did the same by mutual agreement. Adrián announced his retirement from football. Bakambu and Ricardo left upon the expiry of their contracts. Petit was loaned to Cádiz for one season. The club tried to find exits for Álvaro Fidalgo and Iker Losada, but negotiations stalled and both remain for now.
How does the squad look for the season?
Real Betis Balompié now has 25 players registered for the first team. They are joined by two youth players training with the senior squad: 31-year-old Manu González and 27-year-old Morante. The team has made a solid start to the La Liga season, sitting seventh with 6 points from three matches.
The squad has scored 4 goals and conceded 5, with a -1 goal difference. They are 3 points behind leaders Barcelona. The next challenge is significant: hosting second-placed Real Madrid on September 4th. You can check the full schedule on our fixtures page.
Which reinforcements arrived before the deadline?
Before Ceballos, Betis had already made several signings. Diego Conde arrived on loan from Villarreal. Facundo Bernal was signed from Fluminense for 9 million euros on a deal until 2031. Fran García came from Real Madrid for 4 million until 2030. Troy Parrott joined from AZ Alkmaar for 16 million with a contract until 2030.
The most important sale was Altinir to Sporting Portugal for 18.2 million euros. These moves gave the club room to maneuver in the final market. The current squad has 17 players who arrived as free agents, at least 4 Spanish players, and 4 academy graduates (Valles, Ortiz, Junior, and Ceballos) to comply with Champions League squad registration rules.
How do the departures affect central midfield?
Pellegrini had explicitly requested reinforcement for the center of midfield. The club tried to fulfill his request but ultimately pulled back due to salary constraints and squad depth. To cover that area, they will rely on Marc Roca and the newly arrived Facundo Bernal.
The injury list complicates planning. Currently sidelined are Aitor Ruibal, Diego Conde, Giovani Lo Celso, and Gonzalo Petit. Their status can be followed in our injuries section. The team faces a demanding stretch of the calendar, and the current standings can be viewed on the standings table.
With the market closed, the focus returns to the pitch. Dani Ceballos is now available for the clash against Real Madrid at the Benito Villamarín.
