Paco Esteban , the young promise of Atlético de Madrid , has made a decision that has surprised many: he leaves the colchonero club to join Real Betis Balompié . This decision comes after a season full of ups and downs and promises to change his professional future significantly.
A promising start at Atlético de Madrid
The Spaniard arrived at Atlético de Madrid in 2018, from Villarreal. At Atlético, his talent did not go unnoticed. In his first year as a youth player, he was promoted to the División de Honor alongside Fernando Torres and signed his first professional contract.
During the 2022 season, Paco played 25 games in the Honor Division, scoring eight goals. He especially stood out in a match against CD Badajoz , where he achieved a hat-trick in 20 minutes. Despite their promising start, competition on the team was fierce.
The difficult situation in its second year
Paco's second year in the Honor Division was not so favorable. The emergence of talents such as Javi Alonso, Rayane Belaid and Omar Janneh relegated Paco to a supporting role. This lack of prominence made several European teams once again interested in his situation at Atlético de Madrid.
The club's initial promises were not fulfilled and Paco did not have the opportunity to move up to García Tevenet's reserve team. This made it even more difficult to break into the first team under the direction of Diego Pablo Simeone. Paco participated in some isolated training sessions, but never made it into any call-up.
A change of course towards Betis
Faced with this panorama, Paco and his entourage decided that it was best to seek new horizons. Last Friday the final details of his transfer to Real Betis Balompié were finalized. The most surprising thing is that Betis and Paco did not pay the termination clause of 50 million euros.
In his place, Atlético de Madrid has secured 30% of a future sale of the player. The initial idea is for Paco to join the preseason with the Betis subsidiary, Betis Deportivo de Segunda RFEF. Paco now has the opportunity to prove himself in a completely new project.
A new stage in the Rafael Gordillo Sports City
Last season, despite playing fewer minutes, Paco knew how to take advantage of his opportunities. He scored eight goals in 18 League games, with only four starts. Now, at the Rafael Gordillo Sports City, Paco Esteban seeks to consolidate and continue growing both sportingly and professionally.
Paco's move to Betis marks the beginning of a new stage for the young striker. For Simeone and Atlético de Madrid, this departure leaves a hole in their quarry. Paco, for his part, has a great opportunity to show that his talent can flourish in a different and less competitive environment.