Betis And Mallorca Join Getafe In Soldado Chase

Real Betis and Real Mallorca have joined the race to sign Roberto Soldado on loan from Real Madrid after Getafe made their interest clear earlier in the week.

The 22-year-old striker is desperate to play regularly ahead of hte European Championships and has been told by Los Merengues he can leave in the winter transfer window.

After a successful loan spell with Osasuna last term, Soldado made his debut for Spain in the Euro 2008 qualifiers in June and wants to force his way back into the reckoning.

Bernd Schuster made use of him in pre-season and hopes were high that he would be given a regular run-out in the Madrid team this season.

But Soldado has spent the majority of the campaign on bench or not in the squad and is now ready to back out on loan in order to prove himself to Luis Aragonés.

His preferred destination is Getafe, as it would mean that he would not have to move house and negotiations are said to be underway with Michael Laudrup's side.

Links between Madrid and Los Azulones are strong as Rubén De la Red and Estabán Granero made the move across the captial to the Alfonso Pérez last summer.

Betis are desperate for more firepower and could promise Soldado a regular place in their side, while Mallorca would be able to do the same as they look to put their season back on track.