Dani Ceballos’ transfer from Real Madrid to Marseille collapsed due to the player’s last-minute refusal to join coach Roberto De Zerbi’s squad.
Marseille opened negotiations with Ceballos in the last 48 hours, and it was initially reported that the Spanish international welcomed the move. The French club then moved to negotiate with Real Madrid, hoping to close the deal quickly.
According to AS, Marseille has already reached an agreement with Real Madrid to purchase Ceballos for €11 million as a fixed fee, plus an additional €4 million in add-ons.
However, surprisingly, Ceballos ultimately informed Marseille that he does not want to join them, and that he believes a move to the French league would be a step backward in his career.
Instead of moving to Marseille, the 28-year-old prefers a return to his parent club, Real Betis, and Real Madrid officials have been clearly informed of this.
Betis remains unable to meet Real Madrid’s asking price for Ceballos, making it more likely that the Spanish international will remain at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Ceballos will pressure Real Madrid in the coming days to negotiate with Betis and lower the financial demands, especially since the player himself wants to leave Los Blancos after falling out of favor with coach Xabi Alonso.
