Betis agree one-year loan for Diego Conde from Villarreal
Betis agree one-year loan for Diego Conde from Villarreal with €3.5m option to buy; this deal pending medicals as Pau López edges closer to move to Andorra.
The Real Betis first-team squad has its goalkeeper slot reinforced after the club reached an agreement to bring Diego Conde on a one-year loan from Villarreal for the 2026–27 season. The move, which includes a non-mandatory option to purchase valued at about €3.5 million, remains subject to a medical and a formal announcement once the player arrives in Seville. Betis acted quickly after Pau López expressed a desire to leave, with the signing designed to provide immediate competition and cover across three competitions.
Betis finalise one-year loan for Diego Conde
Diego Conde will join Betis on a season-long loan from Villarreal with an option for the Andalusian club to buy at the end of the term. The transfer was agreed between the two clubs on the understanding that Conde will travel to Seville to undergo standard medical tests before the contract is signed and the club issues a statement.
The move completes the club’s short-term recruitment in goal ahead of a busy campaign that includes domestic and European fixtures. Betis have positioned the loan as a pragmatic solution that gives the coaching staff flexibility while they assess the Spaniard’s performance in competitive action.
Loan terms include a roughly €3.5 million buy option
Sources close to the negotiations say the loan carries a non-compulsory buy clause of approximately €3.5 million, giving Betis the option to make the transfer permanent. The structure allows the club to avoid an immediate transfer fee while retaining the right to secure Conde’s services long term if he satisfies technical and financial criteria.
For Villarreal, the deal provides a pathway for game time for a goalkeeper whose opportunities changed after the arrival of Arnau Tenas last season. Both clubs benefit from a loan arrangement that limits risk while enabling Betis to address an urgent positional need without a large upfront outlay.
Pau López’s departure accelerates Betis’ plan
The Betis decision to pursue Diego Conde was prompted by Pau López’s determination to end his time at the club despite having two years left on his contract. López has reportedly chosen a move to Andorra, where he was offered a multi-year deal that would bring him closer to family in Girona and guarantee a longer-term contract.
Pau López’s willingness to forfeit the remainder of his Betis deal has freed wage space and forced the club to move quickly to fill the void. Betis’ sporting directors, led by Manu Fajardo, prioritized a solution that balanced immediate competitiveness with budgetary constraints, and Conde emerged as the preferred option once the player indicated his interest.
How Diego Conde fits into Betis’ goalkeeper hierarchy
With Diego Conde’s arrival, Betis will field a three-man goalkeeping group featuring Álvaro Valles as the expected starter, Conde as his principal challenger, and academy graduate Manu González as the third choice. Álvaro Valles, who has been earmarked as the likely first choice, will now face direct competition from the Madrid-born keeper who came through Atlético Madrid’s youth system before spells at Getafe and Leganés.
Manu González, fresh from celebrations with Spain’s Under-19 European Championship-winning side, is due to rejoin the first-team group in the coming days after a short rest. The balance between experience and youth gives manager Manuel Pellegrini options for rotation, particularly with domestic cup and European commitments on the agenda.
Financial implications and roster flexibility for Betis
From a financial perspective, the loan is designed to be cost-effective for Betis, who avoid an immediate transfer fee and can evaluate Conde over a full season. The wages split and the contingent nature of the buy option mean the club retains control over its budget and can use any savings generated by Pau López’s exit to pursue other targets.
Those savings, created by López stepping away from the final two years of his contract, improve Betis’ margin for remaining summer business. Sporting director Manu Fajardo has framed the operation as a measured approach that preserves long-term options while addressing a clear tactical need for the upcoming campaign.
Conde’s recent background and reasons for choosing Betis
Diego Conde’s role at Villarreal diminished following the arrival of Arnau Tenas last season, which prompted interest in the goalkeeper from clubs such as Deportivo de La Coruña and Sevilla. Despite those offers, Conde opted for Betis after assessing the sporting project and the prospect of competing across LaLiga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League fixtures, where rotation is customary.
Conde’s decision appears to have been influenced by the promise of meaningful minutes and the chance to work under Pellegrini’s coaching staff during a season with multiple fronts to contest. The promise of immediate integration into the squad and the competitive environment at Betis were decisive factors in his choice to favor the move.
Next steps: medicals, signing, and preseason integration
The transfer will be finalized once Diego Conde arrives in Seville to complete his medical examinations and sign the loan contract, after which the club will confirm the acquisition formally. Once cleared, Conde is expected to join Betis for the second phase of preseason training and begin working under Manuel Pellegrini’s direction to learn the club’s defensive schemes and build rapport with his new teammates.
Betis are likely to manage his integration carefully, giving the goalkeeper time to acclimatize to the squad while also evaluating his readiness for competitive matches. The coaching staff will determine his role in early season lineups based on training performance and tactical needs across the club’s planned schedule.
Betis will now focus on consolidating the squad and turning remaining attention to other targets as the transfer window progresses. The club’s swift handling of the goalkeeper situation demonstrates a clear priority to field a competitive roster for the 2026–27 campaign.
The signing of Diego Conde underlines Betis’ pragmatic summer business and sets a defined path for the club’s goalkeeping corps as they prepare for a season of high expectations.
