Real Betis confirm signing of defender just a year after leaving club | OneFootball

Real Betis have confirmed the return of veteran defender Marc Bartra, just a year after he left the club.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona central defender has signed with the club on a free, after terminating his deal with Turkish side Trabzonspor. He moved for €1.25m last summer, but Trabzon were looking to cut costs this summer after missing out on Europe.

With Betis looking to replace the outgoing Edgar Gonzalez and Victor Ruiz, they have brought Bartra back on a one-year deal. The 32-year-old will add experience back to the Benito Villamarin, although is likely to be behind Luiz Felipe and German Pezzella.

Bartra joins for a seventh year in the last eight, having initially signed on in 2016. He is expected to be one of two central defenders through the door this week, with Barcelona’s Chadi Riad expected to arrive imminently too. This deal also comes after Sergio Canales’ exit was confirmed, which will free up some funds for Los Verdiblancos, with Bartra even attending his farewell event.