Dani Ceballos has halted a planned loan move to Marseille to focus on a potential return to Real Betis. Ceballos has featured only four minutes across Real Madrid's first two LaLiga matches under Xabi Alonso and has asked to leave for more regular playing time. He made 23 LaLiga appearances last season under Carlo Ancelotti but doubts he will play frequently under Alonso and wants consistent minutes to compete for a Spain squad place at the 2026 World Cup. Marseille had agreed a loan with a mandatory €15 million fee, but the deal is on hold while Betis pursue talks.
Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos has put his move to Marseille on hold in a bid to fulfill his desire to return to Real Betis, sources have told ESPN. Ceballos, 29, had everything in place to make the switch to Ligue 1, with Madrid and Marseille making progress in talks on Tuesday, but Betis' intervention has now put the brakes on that deal.
The Spain international has been a substitute in Madrid's first two LaLiga games this season under new coach Xabi Alonso, playing a total of just four minutes against Osasuna and Real Oviedo, and has told Madrid that he wants to leave the Santiago Bernabéu to play more consistently elsewhere. The former Arsenal midfielder was a regular starter for a period last season under Carlo Ancelotti, making a total of 23 LaLiga appearances. But he believes that he won't feature frequently under Alonso, and sees a change of scene as being necessary to compete for a place with the Spain national team at the 2026 World Cup.
ESPN reported on Monday that Marseille were interested in signing Ceballos, and the two clubs reached an agreement on Tuesday for a loan deal, with a mandatory payment of €15 million ($17.39m) for the transfer to be made permanent. However, sources have now told ESPN that the transfer is on hold, at the player's insistence. The midfielder is now considering other alternatives, and the one that most interests him is pursuing a move to Betis, the club he supports, and played for as a youngster.
Collection
[
|
...
]