In: Ayoze Perez (free), Hector Bellerin (Sporting CP), Marc Bartra (free, Trabzonspor), Isco (free, Sevilla), Marc Roca (loan, Leeds United), Chadi Riad (loan, Barcelona), Sergi Altimira (Getafe)
Loan returns:
Out: Joaquin (retired), Victor Ruiz (free), Edgar Gonzalez (Almeria), Loren Moron (free, Aris Salonika), Dani Martin (free, Andorra), Rober Gonzalez (loan, NEC Nijmegen), Diego Lainez (Tigres), Sergio Canales (Rayados de Monterrey), Raul Garcia de Haro (Osasuna), Martin Montoya (free), Alex Collado (loan, Al-Okhdood)
Summary so far: New Sporting Director Ramon Planes believes peace and quiet are overrated.
Manuel Pellegrini has renewed his deal until 2025, which ensures the glue holding this whole thing together is in place. Real Betis do possess a squad with plenty of quality in it, but this operation is so finely balanced, in terms of finances and squad infrastructure, that the lac of money to invest is beginning to look a little precarious. When Nabil Fekir went down injured, and Sergio Canales missed a number of games through suspension last season, Pellegrini ensured that the wheels didn’t come off.
Hector Bellerin is back and should compete for the starting spot well with Youssouf Sabaly. Chadi Riad is only upside, with Bartra, Luiz Felipe and German Pezzella to learn from, they have a buy option on the Moroccan.
Few moves were as bizarre as that of Alex Collado, whom they loaned out to Al Okhdoud, just four days after joining on a free from Barcelona. Marc Roca can be excellent on the ball, and will add quality on the ball if he can regain his confidence. Guido Rodriguez has declared he wants to stay, and with William Carvalho exit talk surprising absent at this time of year. It’s hard to know how Altimira will adapt to life in La Liga, given he just moved from the third tier, but Planes appears to have blind faith in him, as he was willing to spend €2m on a player he signed for free for Getafe only weeks earlier.
Last season Ayoze Perez was decent if unspectacular – 4 goals and 2 assists in 21 games perhaps wasn’t the production that corresponded to some of the glowing praise he has received, but he was a useful addition. With resources spread so thinly, you can’t be too unhappy with a player of his quality on a free transfer.
Losing Sergio Canales was a major blow. He was likely to be in the running for the captaincy, but it is his quality that they will miss sorely. He was the guy they gave the ball to when they needed something, and often the difference-maker.
Who to replace him with? Why, Isco of course. The Spanish international will have to run the run when he gets into the mix at Betis. He will also have to adapt to the label traitor from the Rojiblanco half of Seville.
Isco is likely to move deeper with age, which would make sense if he wants to start through the middle – Nabil Fekir has a monopoly on the number 10 spot. Few players could have inflamed Seville more, and now Betis will have to solve how this looks on the pitch itself. Brilliant player, but there are doubts about whether he can get to that level again – Pellegrini will back himself to extract the best of the talented creator.
Joaquin is obviously the major loss. He was still really quite useful off the bench as a creative force, but in terms of leadership, atmosphere and cohesion, there will never be another like him. After diminishing impact, Victor Ruiz has been allowed to leave, while Edgar Gonzalez has also moved to Almeria. Edgar is not without flaws, and probably a little way behind German Pezzella and Luiz Felipe in terms of quality at this stage in his career, but at 26, he is coming into his prime. Making 25 starts last season, it’s not an insignificant loss.
Key Need: Betis and Planes have tackled the urgent warning lights flashing at the start of the window. Bellerin, Bartra and Riad mean that they are back to where they started in terms of depth, and arguably better off than they were.
Their supply line is looking a little less sure than it has in a while though. Isco can be pushed into a wider role, Juanmi, Ayoze, Luiz Henrique, Rodri, Aitor Ruibal and youngster Juan Cruz can all play on the flanks too, but quantity isn’t everything. None of those options right now are reliable.
Henrique is the closest to spectacular but still inconsistent, while Juanmi and Ayoze both seem a long way from the best versions of themselves. Finding a reliable winger who can deliver crosses would be a tonic for Pellegrini, Iglesias and the ghost of Alex Moreno. Both 23, Juan Miranda and Abner Vinicius are good projects, but will take some time before they provide the output that Moreno did.
Beneath the Surface: This could have gone in various directions, but if they have a little cash lying around, you would perhaps suggest Betis should invest in a young forward, with both Borja Iglesias and Willian Jose now 31.
Ayoze and Juanmi are half-forwards and can play there in a pinch, but the right recruit at the right moment now could be brilliant news for Betis long-term. Iglesias and Jose will play for the most part, but neither are immune to fitness issues. Willian Jose has also been linked with an exit, although that is just speculation so far.
A raw striker with the talent to play up front on their own could be developed first as an impact substitute, before taking on greater duties. Hitting on an Iglesias is not easy at the best of times, but it is expensive. Betis should take the much cheaper ‘Vitor Roque’ option, finding that talent ahead of time.
Not only that, a young, fearless forward might set a bit of fire below Iglesias too.
