5 months ago
105 
Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The claims in Spain have third-choice goalkeeper Adrian leaning towards a return to his boyhood club this summer.
After five seasons at Liverpool, the expectation heading into the offseason was that third-choice goalkeeper Adrian would be moving on from the club in the summer, with most of the speculation being about a potential return to Spain for the 37-year-old shot stopper.
There was some surprise, then, when the club announced its retained list and Adrian was on it having been offered a new deal. From the club’s perspective, though, Adrian’s value on the training pitch and as part of the goalkeeping group made it worth offering an extension.
That may not be enough to tilt the outcome from what was expected by most before that contract news broke, with the transfer chatter out of Spain today claiming that Adrian is currently leaning towards a return to Real Betis where he came through the academy.
Adrian joined Betis as an 11-year-old and worked his way through the youth levels at the Andalusian club before graduating first to Real Betis’ C team and then Real Betis B, but he only played one season as part of the senior squad before moving to West Ham in 2013.
If the Sevillan-born stopper were to return to his boyhood club this summer it would likely be as a replacement for recently retired veteran goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, with Rui Silva currently expected to head into the 2024-25 season as the starter for Los Verdiblancos.
