García, who joined from Real Madrid for €4m on a four-year deal after finding regular football hard to come by behind Marc Cucurella, Álvaro Carreras and Ferland Mendy, told Radio MARCA's La Pizarra de Quintana that the timing simply felt right.
"We had four left-backs, and for me football is about enjoying yourself and competing," he said, adding that he never got the chance to speak with Jose Mourinho before leaving because the Real Madrid boss was on holiday at the time.
The left-back said he had interest from clubs abroad but always prioritised staying in Spain, and Betis specifically: "My first option was to come here because I wanted to keep my people close by. Manu was always in contact with me, he knew the club was going to make an effort for me, and I told him that if they did, I would too."
The 26-year-old, who won five trophies including the Champions League and La Liga during his second Bernabeu spell, said the club's growth and the warmth of his welcome sealed the decision: "It's a really exciting project, and from the first day I was struck by how close everyone was."
He singled out Isco for praise, calling him "a spectacular player and an incredible person" who reached out to reassure him before he had even arrived, and spoke of the physical condition he has arrived in for pre-season, crediting a demanding modern schedule that leaves no room to ease into a new campaign: "Before, pre-season was about getting into shape; now you arrive and face very high-level teams from the very first day."
Asked about lifting a trophy this season, he laughed: "I hope so. If there's somewhere to sign for it, I'll sign right now."
Elsewhere at the club, Antony provided an encouraging fitness update on the pubis complaint that limited him for much of last season, telling Betis TV he feels "much better than last season" and expects to be back in full training within days.
"I've been training with the team for three or four days now, I feel very good and we need to be patient, but it won't be long before I'm playing with my team-mates. I think next week," said the Brazilian, who has been managing the injury with conservative treatment since it first flared up against Getafe in December.
Antony reflected on an emotional debut Champions League campaign after Real Betis qualified for Europe's top competition for the first time in two decades, describing it as a dream shared by the whole squad: "It was the dream of every player, mine too... doing it after 20 years, making history with this club, playing a Conference League final, Europa League quarter-finals... I'm very happy to be part of this club."
He also praised the summer's new arrivals, including García and Uruguayan midfielder Facundo Bernal: "Fran is a great player, Facu too. I'm very happy because they're great players who are going to help us a lot."
On his own contribution despite playing through pain for months, Antony was matter-of-fact: "I played very limited, but every time I put on the shirt, I sacrifice myself." He added that his connection to the club runs deep beyond results on the pitch: "When I arrived, the fans really touched me, I loved it... it has helped me find myself and become the best version of myself."