Last summer, Tottenham Hotspur secured a special clause as part of an agreement with Real Betis that saw Giovani Lo Celso return to Los Verdiblancos. That clause was for Johnny Cardoso, who has been a standout performer for the La Liga side since he arrived from Internacional during the 2024 winter transfer window.
Cardoso has been a very important player for Betis since his arrival, so the clause agreed with Spurs, which is worth €25m, would have been inserted begrudgingly. A number of other clubs have taken an interest in the USMNT midfielder since then, but for now, a move to North London is the most likely if he does leave Andalusia.
Betis have been making arrangements for Cardoso to stay, and on Tuesday, they announced that he had agreed a new five-year contract at the club, which keeps him tied down until the end of the 2029-30 season.
“Real Betis Balompie and Johnny Cardoso have reached an agreement for the extension of the Brazilian midfielder’s contract for one more season. In this way, the American international is linked to the Green and White Club until 2030.”
However, Cardoso’s new contract does little to affect his possible departure in the summer, as MD have reported that Spurs’ special clause is still active.
It is worth noting that Spurs’ clause is only active for a few weeks during the summer transfer window. If they fail to trigger it before the pre-agreed deadline, Betis can demand as much as they want, which would put them in a much more advantageous position.
It would be a big blow for Betis to lose Cardoso in the summer, especially as they would hope to earn more than €25m in normal circumstances. If he does leave, a new defensive midfielder would be required to go alongside Sergi Altimira, Marc Roca and William Carvalho.
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