Real Madrid agree to sell first team defender to La Liga rivals in €4m deal

Real Madrid are about to finalise their latest departure of the 2026 summer transfer window, with defender Fran Garcia poised to leave for Real Betis.

When Marc Cucurella was signed from Chelsea last month, it effectively signalled the end of Garcia’s Real Madrid career. The 26-year-old dropped down to fourth in the left-back pecking order – also behind Alvaro Carreras and Ferland Mendy) – which meant that he had no chance of being part of Jose Mourinho’s squad for the upcoming 2026-27 season.

As a result, an exit was put into motion. Premier League clubs registered their interest, but from the get-go, Betis were the ones to push hardest for Garcia, and they have now managed to secure an agreement with Real Madrid for his transfer, as per El Chiringuito.

Real Madrid pocket €4m from deal, retain 50% sell-on clause

As part of the deal, Betis have agreed to pay €4m for 50% of Garcia’s rights, meaning that Real Madrid will retain a 50% sell-on clause, as they have so often done with low-cost sales over the last few years. While it ensures that they would be entitled to more money if the La Fabrica graduate is sold down the line, it opens keep the door open for his possible return to the Bernabeu in the future, as the club would only need to pay half of a prospective fee.

Real Madrid supporters may question the low fee, given that the club are technically making a loss on Garcia – he was re-signed from Rayo Vallecano in 2023 for €5m. However, the fact that they have the sell-on clause means that they are likely to receive more money in the future, so it can be considered good business.

Betis will hope to wrap up the signing of Garcia in the next 24 hours, at which point Real Madrid would then be able to think about their next deal.