Ceballos and Real Madrid Part Ways: Midfielder Leaves as Free Agent, Deemed Surplus by Mourinho

Dani Ceballos is set to leave Real Madrid as a free agent after opting out of the final year of his contract with the royal club, according to "AS." The publication adds that Real Betis is currently the frontrunner for his signature.

For several years, Ceballos has been on the verge of departing, but now the drama surrounding his future concludes. The Spaniard does not feature in the plans of new coach José Mourinho, who reportedly urged the management to swiftly resolve the future of the 29-year-old midfielder.

Betis has long sought to bring Ceballos back, and now they have the opportunity to do so without paying a transfer fee to Real. Ajax also showed interest, but the Spaniard declined the Dutch giants, expressing his desire to return to Andalusia. According to "AS," Betis plans to offer Ceballos a lengthy contract, spanning four or five years, to compensate him for foregoing his salary at the Santiago Bernabéu for the last year of his deal.

Real Madrid signed Ceballos from Betis in 2017. Since then, he has played 215 matches for "Los Blancos" and won every possible trophy: three Champions League titles (2018, 2022, and 2024), two La Liga titles (2022 and 2024), one Copa del Rey (2023), three FIFA Club World Cups (2017, 2018, and 2022), one Intercontinental Cup (2024), two UEFA Super Cups (2022 and 2024), and three Spanish Super Cups (2018, 2022, and 2024). This impressive haul makes him one of the most decorated Spanish players at the club over the past decade.