Real Madrid fans are used to lengthy transfer sagas on one level, with Kylian Mbappe perhaps the longest in recent memory. However the consistence of Dani Ceballos being linked with a move to Real Betis each summer is unfailing at this point.
The 28-year-old Seville native signed a new deal with Los Blancos two years ago, keeping him at the club until 2027. Yet in each of the last three summers, Ceballos has been heavily linked with a move back to his first club, Real Madrid. Los Verdiblancos have also flirted with the idea, but made it public that they would not be paying a large transfer fee for Ceballos.
Xabi Alonso removes doubt from Ceballos’ mind
It was reported this week that Ceballos, like teammate Eduardo Camavinga, who has also been lacking game time of late, was not for sale. Cadena SER say that manager Xabi Alonso has gone one further, and told Ceballos that he is going nowhere this summer.
Ceballos himself had flirted with the idea, saying publicly that he was ‘open to anything’, and hinting on social media that he had tried to make the move happen. Yet it appears as if Alonso feels he needs him at any rate.
Ceballos’ role under Alonso
Part of Ceballos’ doubts about staying at the club were based on the fact that he received little game time during the Club World Cup, featuring for less than 90 minutes across their six matches. Ceballos is competing with Arda Guler, Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde, Camavinga and Jude Bellingham next season.
Power play from Alonso?
It has been widely reported that Alonso feels he needs another midfielder this summer, but the club are reluctant to break the bank to bring him one. Not using Ceballos in the USA may have been his way of showing the board that perhaps he is not convinced by Ceballos, and a fresh recruit was necessary.
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