Atletico Madrid has been busy this week, three signing sessions have been completely completed. They are now ready to close the sale of Rodrigo Riquelme, whose 15-year association with the club is coming to an end.
Among those who have to sign for Atleti in the coming weeks, Alex Baena is, with a deal that has been agreed with Villarreal. And his arrival would see Riquelme fall further due to the pecking order for the left wing position, where he was already behind Samuel Lino and Conor Gallagher last season.
As such it has been determined that he will leave, and despite the fact that he is involved in the deal for the deal for Baena, he is now ready for Betis. As reported by Fabrizio Romano, a deal has been agreed for the 25-year-old to join Los Verdiblancos, where he will replace como-bound Jesus Rodriguez.
Strangely enough, Atleti will retain 50% of Riquelme's rights, with Matteo Moretto reporting that Betis will pay € 8-9 million for the other 50%. It means that in the future there may be significant funds that Los Colchoneros has in the future when the player makes an impression during his time in Andalusia.
The last 12 months were difficult for Riquelme, who was out of favor in Atleti during the 2024-25 season. But the move to Betis will represent a new start, and he should regularly see playing time – especially because the side of Manuel Pellegrini will also be involved in the Europa League.
Betis building a strong team for the next season, and Riquelme may not be the only winger that arrives during the summer transfer window. There are plans for Antony to sign again from Manchester United, although that deal will be difficult because of the asking price of the Premier League side.