Atletico Madrid finalising deal for USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis
The clubs have agreed a fee in the region of of €30million (£25.5m; $34.8m), while personal terms are in place between Atleti and Cardoso – although his contract is still to be signed.
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Tottenham Hotspur had a first refusal option for the 23-year-old which became active this summer – agreed as part of Giovani Lo Celso's transfer to Betis in 2024 – but the agreement expired on June 10, paving the way for Atleti to move for Cardoso.
The Athletic reported on June 25 that Atleti were in talks to sign Cardoso following club-to-club negotiations which occurred in Madrid earlier in the month.
Cardoso joined Betis from Brazilian side Internacional in January 2024 and has since made 65 appearances for the La Liga club, primarily operating at the base of midfield.
He played a key role in his side's run to the Conference League final last season, missing just two matches in the European campaign, while also helping his side to a sixth-placed finish in the Spanish top-flight, securing Betis a spot in next season's Europa League.
In February, Cardoso signed a contract extension which added a year to his existing terms with Betis, meaning his contract would run to 2030.
The midfielder made his senior USMNT debut as a 19-year-old in November 2020 after making five appearances for the under-23 team.
He has since played 22 times for his nation, including in friendly defeats to Turkey and Switzerland in June, before Gold Cup group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Haiti this summer.
He withdrew from Mauricio Pochettino's CONCACAF Nations League squad in March due to a muscle injury.
Atletico will play Champions League football next season after their third-place finish in La Liga and competed in this summer's expanded Club World Cup in the U.S.
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Alexandria, Virginia Mayor Alyia Gaskins (center) speaks during a session celebrating the FIFA Club ... More World Cup 2025 and FIFA World Cup 2026 at the United States Conference of Mayors 93rd Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida on June 21, 2025. Much of what residents observed and experienced stemmed from daily interactions, Gaskins added. People living, working, and visiting neighborhoods adjacent to the hotel and practice site had more up-close views, catching team members, media, and fans associated with Al Ain FC and the Club World Cup transiting between locations. City agencies providing police escorts, public safety coordination, and other logistical support had more direct engagement with team personnel. Coordination meetings were held from early on to ensure transport and operations were seamless. Still, unforeseen concerns arose. The most notable one was about environmental impacts of team buses idling. 'Some neighbors were concerned, but we addressed it,' Gaskins noted. 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But what truly resonates with residents and visitors are the social impacts and community benefits—how and why a team being in town makes it a better place in which to live, work, and play. Recognizing and understanding this broader impact is something well worth focusing on as the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 wraps up and the FIFA World Cup 2026 ramps up. Through partnership, cooperation, and community development, team base camp cities play a crucial role in these festivals of sport. The example of Alexandria and Al Ain offers valuable guidance.
