Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos reportedly desires to rejoin former club Real Betis in the January transfer window and has informed the club of his wishes.
According to a report from El Nacional, Real Madrid outcast Dani Ceballos is ready to part ways with the club in the upcoming transfer window and is eyeing a return to fellow La Liga outfit Real Betis.
Ceballos came through the youth ranks at Real Betis and made 105 appearances for Los Verdiblancos. He contributed seven goals and nine assists, along the way establishing himself as one of the most promising midfield prospects in Spain.
This prompted Real Madrid to snap him up in the summer of 2017, but the 25-year-old has had a difficult time at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ceballos managed just 56 appearances from his first two seasons with the Spanish capital club, most of them coming from the bench, as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro had nailed down the starting spots in midfield.
As a result, Ceballos spent the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons out on loan at Premier League club Arsenal but failed to revive his career. Having returned to Real Madrid in the summer, the eleven-time capped Spanish international was linked with an exit from the Bernabeu, with Betis themselves interested. However, an ankle injury sustained at the Tokyo Olympic Games derailed any chances of a move.
Ceballos is still recovering from the injury and has not taken the field even once for his club this season. And, with the January transfer window nearing, he has decided to push for an exit again once he is back to full fitness. There are several clubs interested in his services, with Inter Milan keen while there have been reports of Arsenal also eyeing a swoop.
However, the report claims that the 25-year-old is particularly intent on returning to his boyhood club Real Betis, who would welcome him back with open arms. Manuel Pellegrini’s side are in the hunt for a top-four finish this season and would be boosted by the addition of a midfielder of Ceballos’ quality, who will be motivated to prove a point after having seen his career growth stall since moving to Real Madrid.
Los Blancos, for their part, would not stand in the way of Ceballos leaving should a reasonable offer come along. Club president Florentino Perez is happy to let him go, given that Ancelotti has Modric, Kroos, Casemiro, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and Isco as options in midfield, along with youngster Antonio Blanco.
All things considered, a move to Real Betis would serve well for all parties involved. Whether it materialises this time out remains to be seen.