The sporting management of Real Betis is clear about what they're looking for to strengthen their squad for the 2025/26 season: a young striker, physically strong, with a nose for goal and the ability to develop. With Cucho Hernández as the offensive reference, the verdiblanco club wants to add a complementary profile to their attack, a more classic presence in the box, who can both compete with the Colombian and offer tactical alternatives to Manuel Pellegrini.
In this context, Betis's sporting director, Manu Fajardo, has taken the lead and started the first key moves. According to sources close to the club, talks with the desired striker's camp have progressed significantly, and they're already working on a joint strategy to convince the club that owns his rights.
Leeds United aware of the interest
The player in question belongs to Leeds United, a team recently promoted to the Premier League, and they've already replied to Betis's interest. In the offices at Elland Road, they're aware they could lose one of their young attacking talents, so they've moved ahead and secured the signing of striker Lukas Nmecha from Wolfsburg.
The signing of the German forward, who's 24 years old (24 años), strengthens Leeds's front line and paves the way for a possible departure of the player targeted by the verdiblancos.
Alternative formulas and recent precedents
Although Leeds's stance remains firm regarding the financial valuation, Betis is already exploring other options. One possibility that's gained traction is acquiring a percentage of the player's rights, a formula recently used in other negotiations such as for Antony. This route would allow for a lower initial cost and leave a window for future profit for the English club in the event of a later sale.
Despite the progress, nothing is finalized. Clubs from England and Italy have also shown interest, although none seem to have made a move as decisively as the verdiblanco side. Betis's sporting project, with the possibility of playing in European competitions, is an additional attraction for the player, who's already expressed his interest in making the jump to a league like LaLiga EA Sports.
An exciting signing for the fans
That name, already echoing through the halls of Benito Villamarín, is none other than Mateo Joseph, a striker from Santander who's only 21 years old (21 años), currently at Leeds United and with a future, perhaps very near, at Real Betis.
Mateo Joseph, born in Santander in 2003, is a center forward with dual Spanish-English nationality who has developed as a footballer in Leeds United's academy after coming up through Espanyol. He's known for his powerful physique, his ability to find space, and his goal-scoring instinct inside the box.
Although he's still in the process of establishing himself, his participation in the Under-21 European Championship with Spain has put him on the radar of several clubs. He has good hold-up play, aggressiveness in pressing, and a nose for finishing, qualities that make him a very attractive profile for teams like Real Betis.