A tearful farewell at the training ground

Pablo Garcia left Real Betis on Tuesday night the same way he had arrived 14 years earlier: with his family beside him. This time they were in tears. The 20-year-old forward had just completed a deadline-day transfer to Racing Santander, bringing an abrupt end to a life spent in green and white.

As Garcia was driven away from the Betis training ground for the final time by his mother, he broke down in tears, unable to speak. He waved to reporters as his mother, also visibly upset, drove off, as reported by the Daily Mirror.

Garcia was born in Seville and joined the Betis academy at six. He rose through every age group and later scored four times for Spain's Under-19s in a single European Championship match against Germany, according to Livemint. The Daily Mirror reports he joined the club at just five years old, with both outlets noting his long association with the club.

The move to Racing Santander

The transfer materialised late on deadline day. Racing Santander, newly promoted to La Liga, agreed to pay around €5 million ($5.8m; £4.3m), with Betis retaining a 50 per cent sell-on clause and first refusal on any future sale, as reported by Livemint. Racing sources described the fee, third on their record transfer list, as a statement of intent.

Betis confirmed the deal in a statement, saying: "Real Betis Balompié and Real Racing Club de Santander have reached an agreement for the transfer of forward Pablo Garcia, with the Verdiblancos retaining a percentage of any future sale, as well as a matching right."

The statement added: "The Spain U21 international joined the club's academy at pre-benjamín level and progressed through the ranks before making the step up to the first team. The Sevillian forward made his LaLiga debut in January 2025 and now begins a new chapter after making 33 appearances and scoring three goals for the first team. The club would like to thank Pablo Garcoa for his service and wishes him every success in the next chapter of his career."

Garcia has signed a deal with Racing Santander until the summer of 2030, according to the Daily Mirror.

Why Garcia left

The departure was driven by a desire for more senior playing time. Last season, Garcia made 25 appearances for Betis, most from the bench, with his only two goals coming in a 7-1 Copa del Rey win over semi-professional Atletico Palma del Rio, as reported by Livemint. This season, Antony, signed from Manchester United, is manager Manuel Pellegrini's first choice on the right.

It has been reported that Garcia chose to leave because he wanted to start more senior games, and people close to the player said the same. The Daily Mirror reported that Betis had told him he had to leave because they needed to free up a spot for Dani Ceballos, who returned to the club on a free transfer.

Hull City and Olympiacos both asked about Garcia during the window, but neither offer became a deal, according to Livemint.

Family reaction

Garcia's father, Ramon, spoke to El Partidazo de Cope, as reported by the Daily Mirror. He said: "Have you seen the boy yet, right? He went to his locker to get his things... and we're having a hard time."

He added: "Well, once he starts training and all that, he's going to give it his all and he's going to make the Racing fans happy, I'm sure of it."

Asked when details on the transfer emerged, Ramon said: "Very late, because it came up this afternoon or I don't know. The story came up around mid-afternoon and we've been waiting until everything was finalised, until quite late."

He explained the family's deliberations: "It's clear that what the boy has always been interested in this year, at 20 years old, is trying to play as much as possible. And we know the squad we have here and the number of excellent players, so we were torn between staying here and enjoying whatever minutes he gets or trying to find a way for him to relaunch his career and be able to play and enjoy football, which is what he wants."

Looking ahead

Garcia also looked ahead to Betis' return to the Champions League, their first in two decades, with Arsenal and Bayern Munich among the league-phase opponents. "We'll have to see, but hopefully I'll be able to return," he said. "That's what we all want."