Real Betis may find that Pepe Mel’s influence on proceedings in the dressing room can tempt Benat Etxebarria to renew his contract.
The club have been in talks with their midfield playmaker over a new deal ever since the close of the summer transfer market and the rejection during that of at least one bid of more than €10m from Wolfsburg.
However, negotiations have stalled, as club administrator Jose Antonio Bosch recently confirmed and since then very little is believed to have moved forward, with the player reportedly keen to only sign on if his buyout clause is reduced to between €12m and €15m.
AS report today that the key to convincing Benat to stay may in fact lie with Coach Mel mediating in talks.
Mel, who has overseen the club’s rise back into La Primera, is understood to hold an ever increasing influence over club policy and is cited as the reason forward Ruben Castro signed a new deal in the summer.
Benat’s current deal expires in June 2014.
