Antonio Adan: In action during brief spell at Cagliari

The 26-year-old hit the headlines in December 2012 when then Madrid boss Jose Mourinho controversially opted to drop club captain and long-serving number one Iker Casillas and replace him with little-known back-up keeper Adan.

Adan only played a handful of first-team matches for Madrid before the club signed Diego Lopez in last January's transfer window and he opted to leave his home-town club last summer.

He then joined Cagliari but he left the Serie A side club on Monday morning before returning to Spain with relegation-threatened Betis.

The Seville-based club are bottom of La Liga and 10 points adrift of safety but Adan knows what he is getting himself into.

"The main reason I've decided to come is the feeling this club gives me. After a game against Real Madrid I got the feeling this was a very big club," he said.

"I'm hugely motivated."

Adan, who will be officially presented by Betis on Wednesday, added of his new club's league predicament: "I'm aware of the situation that the club is in but I had to take this step.

"The important thing is to be realistic. The situation is difficult but the first thing is to give everything on the pitch."