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Dani Ceballos Angers Real Madrid, Just As He Did With Real Betis in 2022 (Report)

Originally posted on Real Madrid CF on SI
By Jordan Merritt | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 4:37 AM ET

It was a quiet last week in the summer transfer window for Real Madrid as the La Liga market shut at 11:59 p.m. on September 1. Los Blancos brought in four new players and retained the key players in their first-team squad. They were close to letting one player leave. However, Dani Ceballos stayed with the club despite a move nearly materializing.

The 29-year-old rejected a move to Marseille, despite both clubs agreeing on a fee. According to a report from SPORT, the plane was booked ready for Ceballos to travel to complete the move to the Ligue 1 side. However, he backed out in the final moments, and now he will stay a Real Madrid player at least until January.

Real Madrid Hierarchy Angry Over Dani Ceballos Decision

According to SPORT, the powers at Real Madrid are said to have been angered by Ceballos' decision not to join Marseille, instead looking to make a move to his former club, Real Betis. They are unhappy that he wants to leave, but has closed the door on the move to a team that wants to sign him.

He is not the only club he has angered over the last several years, with Real Betis president Ángel Haro also not the biggest fan of the 29-year-old. In 2022, Ceballos was reportedly ready to return to his former club. However, he made a U-turn, signing a new contract extension with Los Blancos, angering Haro.

It could be a reason why the midfielder didn't get priority in a move to Los Verdiblancos, with the team focusing on Manchester United star Antony, a deal they completed. According to reports, they were also not ready to match the $17 million (€15 million) asking price.

Ceballos is under contract until 2027, so if Betis comes back in the summer, they would likely be able to secure a deal that is much closer to their valuation. However, with it being a World Cup year, Ceballos' decision to stay in Madrid likely puts any outside chance of making the Spanish team very unlikely.

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This article first appeared on Real Madrid CF on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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