Rubén Castro, UD Las Palmas’ latest top signing
Rubén Castro has become a UD Las Palmas player for the next two seasons, with an option for a third. He comes on a free transfer from Real Betis Balompié, where he has spent the last eight years. The Gran Canarian striker will be landing on the island thi
Rubén Castro (born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 27th June 1981) is the latest signing for UD Las Palmas to help bolster their attack. Having signed himself off from Real Betis, the side he has played for for the last eight seasons, he returns to the island after his initial departure back in the 2004/2005 season to Deportivo de La Coruña alongside team mate Momo, in a move worth 3.6 million euros.
Rubén Castro started out as a junior with the youth set up at UD Las Palmas, whom he joined at under-12 level, alevín, from historic district side Artesano, in La Isleta. He made his debut in the First Division on 25th February 2001, with Sergio Kresic as the then yellows’ trainer, in a match Las Palmas played at La Rosaleda against Málaga. In four seasons he featured in 111 official games, scoring 36 goals.
In the 2003-2004 season he was the Second Division’s top scorer, with 22 goals, and proved himself to be one of the club’s promising stars. He was transferred to Deportivo de La Coruña following Las Palmas’ relegation to Segunda ‘B’. Rubén Castro is remembered for the two goals he scored against Real Madrid’s star goalkeeper Iker Casillas, in Las Palmas’ famous 4-2 victory in the Estadio Insular.
Castro was not in favour at Deportivo de La Coruña however, and was loaned out to Albacete Balompié, Racing de Santander, Gimnástic de Tarragona, Huesca and Rayo Vallecano, until the president of Real Betis Augusto César Lendoiro decided to sign him up in the 2010/2011 season, who at the time were in the Second Division. He achieved promotion to the top flight with Betis on two occasions, as well as playing European football.
Onl 6th December 2014 he became Betis’ all time leading scorer, notching up 95 goals. Last season he had a successful season at Chinese outfit Guizhou Hengfeng FC, scoring 7 goals in just 11 league starts. Rubén Castro also played for Spain’s under 21 side on six occasions, scoring four goals.
The player flies in this evening to Gran Canaria at 19:15 from Seville. He will undergo his medical tomorrow morning at the Hospital Perpetuo Socorro at 8.30, and will be presented to the media at 12.30 in the press room at Estadio
