Real Madrid and Dani Ceballos have mutually agreed to terminate his contract, which was due to expire next summer. That clears the path for a free move and lines up the midfielder’s return to Real Betis, after he gave up the final year of his Madrid salary. His final appearance for Madrid came as a substitute in the final-day victory over Athletic Club.
Betis are not a soft landing
Betis have taken 10 points from their last five league matches, so this is not a move into a side limping to the finish. They sit fifth in La Liga, and their league record finished at 15-15-8. That is a decent place for Ceballos to go back to, especially after a season in which Madrid’s recent run was strong enough to remove any sense that this exit came because the squad had collapsed around him.
The return has been a long time coming
Goal says Ajax showed strong interest, but Ceballos preferred a return to Betis. That fits the wider picture around the move, which has been talked about for years and now comes at a personal cost. He is walking away from the final year of his Madrid wages to make the switch happen, and the club where he began his professional journey now looks set to get him back. Madrid’s end of the deal has been settled; the Betis side is the one still waiting to be fully signed off.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →