Real Betis are believed to have officially begun talks with Benat Etxebarria over the possibility of renewing his contract at the club.
The midfield playmaker was heavily linked with Athletic Bilbao and then Wolfsburg in the summer transfer window, but has stayed and maintained an influential spot in Pepe Mel’s side.
The club have since moved to state their desire to sign the player to a new deal and reports today indicate that the first official steps have been taken to do so.
Vicente Fernandez Biurrun, agent to Benat, held a meeting in Seville late last week with Betis sporting director Vlada Stosic and legal representative Jose Antonio Bosch to present the outlines of negotiations.
The player, whose current deal expires in June 2014, will reportedly be offered an extension for another two or three seasons. He will also go from a before-bonus pay of €150,000 a year to a salary rumoured to be five times as much, which would make him the club’s highest paid player.
However, Los Beticos are believed as having to relent to a particular request of Benat, which will be to keep his buyout clause set at €20m.
