Real Betis are going strong in La Liga, and with a win on Thursday against Valencia, they can secure a top four spot going into the World Cup.
After a strong showing last season, finishing just outside the Champions League places in fifth, there is a belief that Betis can go one better and secure fourth this time round.
A crucial part of that would be star playmaker Nabil Fekir. The mercurial Frenchman has the ability to unlock defences at any moment and produce moments of magic.
However seemingly the riches of Newcastle United are wiling to pay around €45m in order to take Fekir to the Premier League. Given Betis struggled to register their players over of the summer due to being hard up against the salary limit, it might be hard for them to turn down an offer of that size.
Equally, there is some room for optimism for Beticos. According to Estadio Deportivo, Fekir is content in Seville and had no intention of leaving the club.
Retaining Fekir could be the difference between Champions League money and Europa League money next season. That might even out the cost of selling Fekir on the pitch and then finding a replacement off it. Manuel Pellegrini spoke in the summer about the importance of not weakening the squad, even if he could not strengthen last summer too.
On the flipside, this may be the last occasion that Betis have to sell Fekir for big money, as he is now fast approaching his thirties.
Image via Icon Sport
