The excitement was palpable.
On Tuesday afternoon, Real Betis announced that Nabil Fekir has signed a new long-term contract at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
“We have a genius until 2026,” read a statement on the club’s Twitter page.
Genius is a strong word.
But the same adjective can probably be used to describe Real Betis’s decision to sign Fekir from Lyon in a cut-price £18 million deal three years ago, taking a punt on an injury-hit forward when no one else would.
A stroke of pure, undiluted genius.
“I am very happy,” Fekir tells Diario de Sevilla after committing his long-term future to Real Betis.
“You can see that the club is improving. The club wanted to renew me and I would stay here. It was simple.”
Betis finished 15th in Fekir’s debut season. 6th in his second. Now, they’re third. When Fekir says Betis are improving year on year, he wasn’t lying.
Who next for Newcastle after Nabil Fekir miss?
As reported by FootMercato, Newcastle United made contact with Fekir’s representatives in October.
At the time, the 2018 World Cup winner appeared to be one of the leading transfer targets for the club’s new Saudi Arabian owners; a magical, marquee signing to herald a bold new era at St James’ Park.
But as Newcastle glance nervously over their shoulder at the pit of despair, quaking at the prospect of Tuesday night trips to Luton, Reading and Barnsley for the ‘richest football club in the world’, Fekir is thinking about the Champions League rather than the Championship.
And no wonder. Real Betis are surging as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid stumble, perfectly-placed to secure a seat at Europe’s top table for the first time in their history.
Will Real Betis finish in the top four?
“Every player wants to play the Champions League. I see myself there with Betis,” Fekir adds.
“We are on the right track. There are many games left and we have to continue like this if we want to stay in the Champions League places.”
With Real Betis tying down the ‘genius’ of the Vilamarin, Newcastle continue to scour the market for their very own midfield mastermind.
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