English interest in Nelson Deossa is showing no signs of slowing down. Ipswich Town, Hull City, Leeds United, Wolves and West Ham are all reportedly tracking the Real Betis midfielder. And they will all be present in Wednesday’s friendly against Arsenal.
Mundo Betis report scouts from several English clubs will be in Dublin to watch the Colombian in action. The 25-year-old is expected to feature again, as his future looks not even close to being resolved.
Familiar faces
Ipswich Town and Hull City are no strangers to this story. The Tractor Boys were linked with Deossa earlier in the window, when reports in Spain suggested they had made enquiries. At the time, Betis looked to find a solution for the midfielder after a difficult first season in Seville.
Hull’s interest emerged later, just as Brazilian side Vasco da Gama appeared on the verge of completing a deal. But that move to South America never materialised.
Now, Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United have now entered the picture alongside the newly promoted pair.
That means the Colombian is now said to have interest from three Premier League sides and two clubs preparing for life in England’s second tier.
In the end, all five clubs will have scouts at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.
So more than a month after Vasco were reported to be finalising payment terms and preparing the formal paperwork, Deossa remains a Betis player, and the transfer picture has shifted once again.
Player wants England opportunity
Perhaps the biggest development comes away from the list of interested clubs.
Mundo Betis claim negotiations with Vasco were paused at Deossa’s own request because the midfielder believes he still has a genuine opportunity to move to England, where the financial rewards are naturally much greater.
That helps explain why Betis have not yet completed a sale. Weeks ago, they appeared close to doing so.
The Spanish club are still hoping to recover at least the €11m (£9.5m) invested to sign Deossa from Monterrey last summer. The Mexican side also hold a 15% sell-on clause, although Betis own the player’s registration.
Wednesday’s friendly against Arsenal could therefore carry more significance than an ordinary pre-season fixture.
Manuel Pellegrini has been using Deossa as a striker during pre-season and the Colombian has already scored twice in that unfamiliar role.
With scouts from Ipswich, Hull, Leeds, Wolves and West Ham all reportedly expected to be watching, another strong performance could help finally move a transfer saga that has dragged on since the end of May.
