Real Madrid remain open to signing a midfielder in the final days of the transfer window if Dani Ceballos departs for Marseille. Xabi Alonso wants a replacement before allowing departures, and Madrid and Marseille are negotiating either a transfer or a loan with an obligation to buy. Madrid expects at least £15 million for Ceballos and faces limited midfield options that meet club requirements. The club spent over €200m on other positions and did not sign midfielders after Luka Modric left. Marseille currently appear best placed to complete the Ceballos move.
Real Madrid have not ruled out signing a midfielder in the final days of the transfer window amid the possibility of sending Dani Ceballos to Marseille, a source told ESPN. The two deals are connected because Xabi Alonso does not want to let a player go without first having a replacement, and ESPN sources admit that Madrid and Marseille are already negotiating a transfer or a loan with an obligation of a permanent move.
The source adds that these are two complicated deals because there are few players on the market who meet the Santiago Bernabéu's requirements and because Madrid want at least £15 million ($17.5m) to approve Ceballos' departure. The club has invested more than €200m to strengthen the squad with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Álvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen and young Franco Mastantuono, but the reality is that it has not signed any midfielders despite letting Luka Modric leave for AC Milan as a free agent.
Yet, the future of Rodrygo and Ceballos has been in doubt for weeks and now a source admits that Madrid are scouting the market for midfielders in case the Spaniard leaves the Santiago Bernabéu. Ceballos has been a substitute in the first two LaLiga matches and after the match against Oviedo he posted a message on his Instagram account that read "Last dance." The 29-year-old footballer had been linked with Real Betis throughout the summer, but the source admits to ESPN that Marseille are now best placed to sign him if the club gives the green light to the deal.
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