Barcelona's strange deal with Abde

Betis winger Abde, sold by Barcelona for €7.5m with complex buyback and resale clauses, is thriving under Pellegrini and has become a key player in the club's best-ever season start.

Ez Abde has emerged as a standout performer for Real Betis this season, playing a crucial role in the club's best start to a campaign in their history. The Moroccan winger, operating on the left flank under manager Manuel Pellegrini, has impressed with his one-on-one ability and defensive work rate as Betis sits high in La Liga and remains unbeaten in the Champions League with nine points from three matches.

Abde's journey to Betis began when Barcelona signed him from Hércules in the Segunda División B in summer 2021 for €2m. He made his debut for the club in October 2021 under interim manager Sergi Barjuan, then spent the second half of that season on loan at Osasuna. Facing financial difficulties, Barcelona sold Abde to Betis in summer 2022 for €7.5m, but structured the deal with complex clauses: buyback options of €20m (until 2024) and €25m (until 2025), plus a percentage of any future sale.

The resale terms have proven disadvantageous for Barcelona. Originally retaining 50% of future sale proceeds, that figure was reduced to 20% following Vítor Roque's early departure. Should Betis activate Abde's €60m release clause, Barcelona would receive only €12m—far less than comparable recent transfers like Anthony Gordon (€70m+ to Newcastle) or Karim Adeyemi (€24m from Borussia Dortmund), despite Abde's superior individual quality on display in European competition.