Álex Collado set to leave Barcelona for Real Betis

Alexa Collado is one step away from leaving Barcelona for Real Betis, with the 24-year-old set to head south in search of first-team football.

It was always expected that Collado would leave the Blaugrana this summer, it was just a question of where he would go.

As per SPORT, Real Betis seem to have won the race for his signature, beating out a number of teams including Granada and Las Palmas.

Collado has agreed to forfeit over 50% of his remaining salary that is owed to him by Barca, following a deferment during COVID. Although he will leave on a free transfer this summer, the La Liga giants have inserted a 30% sell-on fee in the hope of earning revenue down the line.

Collado set for Barcelona exit after14 years

The attacking midfielder has been with the Catalan club for 14 years, having joined the youth ranks all the way back in 2009. He made his debut with Barca back in 2019 but struggled to hold down a first-team place.

Last year he was allowed to go on loan to Granada and then Elche, and while the goals didn’t flow (3 in 32 appearances), the taste of consistent first-team football encouraged Collado to look for his permanent exit.

According to the report in SPORT, Collado met with Xavi who promised to facilitate his exit, and the Barca manager has kept his word.

With the strength that Barcelona have in their forward ranks, it was always unlikely that Collado would be able to hold down a first-team spot, or even gain minutes off the bench. Moving to Betis will enable him to continue his development. Although the deal has not been announced as of writing this post, Collardo was absent from the medical tests held yesterday as players returned for pre-season training.

Betis finished 6th in La Liga last season, securing European football. The Seville side have strengthened their ranks this summer with Héctor Bellerín and Marc Roca expected to join.