Barcelona confirm Chadi Riad’s loan move to Real Betis

Barcelona have confirmed that Chadi Riad has joined Real Betis on a season-long loan deal. 

The 20-year-old joined the Catalans from Mallorca in 2019 and impressed with his performances for the club’s reserve teams. 

He was sent on loan to Sabadell for the 2020-21 season but could only make two senior appearances for the Primera Division side. 

However, the talented centre-back made his competitive debut at Barca in November last year, coming on as a late substitute in their 2-1 victory over Osasuna. 

He was a regular starter for Rafael Marquez’s B-side last term, making 37 appearances across all competitions and scoring three goals. 

Chadi Riad will now head to Real Betis to gain more first-team experience. Los Verderones also have the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. 

However, Barcelona will be able to re-sign him for €7 million should Betis make the loan move permanent, per SPORT.

Sending Riad on loan for the 2023-24 season makes sense as his first-team opportunities at Camp Nou look very slim, especially after the arrival of Inigo Martinez. 

The Moroccan is very young and has a lot to learn before he is ready to play regularly for an elite club. 

The Catalans know that he has a lot of potential and that’s why they have inserted a buyback clause in his deal. 

The 20-year-old’s future will depend on how he fares during his loan stint at Real Betis this season.