Betis sign Palermo

Palermo was frozen out of the first-team picture at Villarreal following the summer arrivals of Sonny Anderson and Jose Mari.

An agreement was reached earlier this week for Palermo's contract to be cancelled and the 29-year-old had been determined to remain in Europe.

Sporting Lisbon had expressed interest in the forward but the Argentine ace has inked a three-year contract with Betis.

Following the injury which has sidelined Dani for three months, Betis boss Victor Fernandez was desperate to bring in reinforcements and had drawn up a list of 42 candidates.

The Seville-based club eventually settled on Palermo and the gifted attacker is relishing his new challenge after a tortuous summer.

"I am very happy after having spent a bad summer due to my situation with Villarreal," said Palermo.

"I have made the decision to come to a great club and, for me, it represents a challenge.

"There are great players here, like Denilson, Joaquin, Fernando, Assuncao, Tote. The characteristics of this team are to attack and that is a benefit for me.

"The president and the coach have given me this possibility and I am going to fight to give the maximum to this club."