Real Betis have agreed a deal to sign Espanyol attacking midfielder Joan Verdu on a four-year contract.
Verdu was poised to become a free agent after revealing that he would not be extending his stay with Javier Aguirre's side.
The 30-year-old had been linked with Southampton and Olympiakos but has elected to stay in Spain and move to the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
A statement on the club's website read: "Real Betis has signed Joan Verdu for the next four seasons after he passed the medical examination."
Verdu now has the opportunity to play in the UEFA Europa League, for which Betis qualified after finishing seventh in La Liga last season.
The former Barcelona and Deportivo man becomes Betis' sixth signing of the off-season.
The Andalucian outfit had already bolstered their midfield with the captures of Chile international Lorenzo Reyes, Real Madrid's Juanfran and Numancia winger Cedric.
Chuli is another to join the ranks from Recreativo de Huelva, while goalkeeper Stephan Andersen has been recruited from French side Evian.
