Real Betis will be without forward Cedric Bakambu for the rest of the season, with the Congolese forward to undergo surgery on a tendon in his right leg today.
Cadena Cope say he will be out for around four to five months, ruling him out of the rest of the season. He will likely miss the opening month or two of the campaign coming too. The 33-year-old joined on loan from Galatasaray on loan in January, but picked up a muscle injury, shortly after arriving. During the Seville derby two weekends ago, he was stretchered off, and his time at Betis would appear to be up, with little chance of them extending his deal.
Bakambu was liked by Manuel Pellegrini, but managed 240 minutes, scoring once against Dinamo Zagreb in the Conference League. Betis‘ options are something of an unknown next season. Next season their only central forwards are Willian Jose, Chimy Avila (who does not always operate as a pure number nine), and Borja Iglesias.
‘The Panda’ will not make his move to Bayer Leverkusen permanent in the summer, as the Bundesliga champions have no intention of executing their €8m buy option for him. However ED do say that fellow Champions League side next season Stuttgart are interested in Iglesias, who has managed just 231 minutes in Leverkusen himself.
Iglesias has been linked with Rayo Vallecano in Spain, and has a contract until 2026 at Betis, but no longer seems to be in Pellegrini’s plans. The Spain international has seen little regular action over the past year, with Jose being preferred to him at the Benito Villamarin.
