Joaquin extends Betis deal

Joaquin has signed a new contract with Real Betis, keeping him at the club until the end of June 2021, three weeks before he turns 40, the La Liga club have confirmed.

Once considered one of the brightest talents of Spanish football, Joaquin fell somewhat short of the mark in terms of following a path foretold for his career. He came through the ranks at Betis, joining the first team back in 2000. Two years later, he made his international debut with Spain and now has 52 caps and four goals for them under his belt. He left the club to join Valencia in 2006, and came back to Betis nine years later, with spells at Malaga and Fiorentina squeezed in between.

Joaquin’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season and he was in negotiations with the club over an extension for several months, before he eventually put his name on the dotted line. According to Marca, he actually owns shares in the club worth around €1 million.