The Madrid goalkeeper Diego Conde is expected to arrive this Sunday in the Andalusian capital to join Betis on loan from Villarreal, with a buy option of five million euros. He will undergo a medical on Monday and could make his debut this week.
The Real Betis Balompié is finalising the reinforcement of their goal with the arrival of Diego Conde, a 25-year-old goalkeeper trained in the Atlético de Madrid academy who played for Villarreal last season. The player has embarked on a road trip from the Castellón town and is expected to arrive in Seville in the coming hours, according to sources from the verdiblanco club.
Medical check and first training sessions
The Madrid goalkeeper will undergo the mandatory medical check on Monday morning at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis del Sol facilities. If no setbacks arise, he will train for the first time in the afternoon with his new teammates under the orders of Manuel Pellegrini.
Conde arrives to fill the gap left by Pau López, who completed his loan and returned to Olympique de Marseille. The agreement between Betis and Villarreal includes a loan with a non-mandatory buy option set at five million euros, an amount that the Seville club could execute at the end of the season if the goalkeeper's performance convinces the coaching staff.
“The player arrives fit and ready to contribute immediately,” say those close to the footballer, who is embarking on his second stint at Heliópolis after being part of the Betis academy from 2018 to 2020.
Return of Isco and Abde for a crucial week
The verdiblanco squad will regain important players ahead of the work week. Isco Alarcón and Ez Abde will be available for upcoming training sessions after the Málaga native resolved a personal matter that forced him to leave the training camp in Germany. Pellegrini himself also had to be absent for the same reason, but both will return to lead the team's preparation during a crucial phase of pre-season.
With Conde's arrival, the Betis goal adds another player to the competition. Álvaro Valles and Brazilian Guilherme have been the goalkeepers used so far in friendlies. Against the German Lotte, Guilherme played the second half after replacing Valles, demonstrating that the fight for the starting position is open.
Upcoming friendlies and possible debut for Conde
Betis faces a week packed with preparation matches. On Wednesday, they will play the Trofeo Colombino, a historic tournament that has generated great excitement among fans and has already sold over 15,000 tickets. Just three days later, the team will travel to Granada to continue accumulating minutes ahead of the start of LaLiga.
Diego Conde could experience his first minutes as a verdiblanco in one of these commitments. The coaching staff is considering giving him prominence to help him gain match rhythm. The Betis fans, who are closely following market movements, hope that the new goalkeeper will provide security in goal and become a reliable reinforcement for the season.
Betis continues to shape its squad for the 2026-27 season, and Conde's arrival is just one of the pieces the club hopes to secure in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Betis fans are already dreaming of seeing their new goalkeeper defend the goal at the Benito Villamarín.
You may also like
