Real Madrid star asks the club to cancel his contract right away
Reports say Real Madrid have turned down a player’s request to end his contract early so he can leave the club sooner.
Los Blancos are planning big changes after Jose Mourinho came back, bringing in players like Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, and Marc Cucurella as part of a fresh start after a trophyless season.
Naturally, many players will need to move on this summer. Some linked with leaving are Eduardo Camavinga, Rodrygo Goes, Franco Mastantuono, Fran Garcia, and Raul Asencio.
The future of midfielder Dani Ceballos is also uncertain, as he has just one year left on his contract.
Ceballos has played over 200 games for Real but has mostly been a backup in recent years, returning from a two-year loan at Arsenal. Real is open to letting him go this summer, but only on their own terms.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Ceballos wants to go back to his old club, Real Betis, for a second spell. He even offered to give up the last year of his contract to leave for free.
But Real Madrid wants to get a transfer fee and isn’t willing to let him go without one. They value him at around €8 million and think he’s worth that, especially considering he’s 29 years old.
Reports say Betis don’t want to pay that much, so Ceballos’ dream return might not happen unless the clubs agree on a price.
There’s also strong interest from Ajax in the Netherlands, who are close to meeting Real’s asking price. However, Ceballos would prefer to stay in Spain if possible.
Last season, Ceballos had a falling out with coach Alvaro Arbeloa over his lack of playing time, and they had a tense conversation. After that, Ceballos didn’t play again for Real.
When asked about it, Arbeloa said, “I don’t discuss my players in public. What happens in the Real Madrid locker room stays there.”
With Arbeloa gone and Mourinho in charge, Ceballos might get a fresh start, but it looks like he will leave this summer.
Ceballos began his career at Betis, playing 105 times before making his big move to Real Madrid in 2017. He has made 13 appearances for Spain, with his last game in 2023.