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Real Betis are poised to bring former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea to the club, according to reports from Spain.
Although the transfer window is closed, De Gea is a free agent and as such can still be signed by any side.
Although the registration period for playing in European competition has passed, free agents are still able to take part in the domestic leagues across Europe and could join European squads too during the winter break.
De Gea is still without club having resisted offers from Saudi Arabia. It is believed he favours a return to la Liga and Betis can offer him just that.
According to fichajes.net, “Betis’ need to secure a quality goalkeeper is evident, and they cannot afford to wait until the January transfer window.
“The option of signing David De Gea, a goalkeeper with extensive experience in the Premier League and the Spanish national team, is very attractive for Betis.”
The 5-0 drubbing at the hands of a rampant Barcelona this weekend highlights the Seville side’s desperate need for a top keeper, with veteran former Manchester City player Claudio Bravo and Portuguese stopper Rui Silva the only two senior options at the club.
Fijaches claim that “the possibility of signing a player of De Gea’s quality at zero cost is an opportunity [Betis] do not want to miss.”
One of the issues for the former United man would be his salary expectations.
Having been the world’s best-paid keeper for many years, he would be forced to take what could be considered a humiliating pay cut to fit in with the salary structure of the Andalusians.
Bravo, by way of an example, is on a €23,000 a week contract. Betis’s top star, Nabil Fekir, earns €130,000 a week (£112,000), a far cry from De Gea’s £375,000 at United.
However, as Fichajes points out, the 32 year old is running out of options and if his priority is to play football in La Liga, the contemplated offer from Betis could be one of the best, with Valencia also interested but struggling to be able to put a package together.
