Dani Ceballos on his way to Marseille

Eight years after his arrival at Real Madrid, Dani Ceballos is preparing to bring to an end one of the most complex and bittersweet chapters of his career.

Although the final signature is still pending, everything indicates that the midfielder from Utrera will no longer wear the white shirt. His dream of returning to Real Betis, the club where he grew up and became a professional, is slipping away once again, with the Andalusian club unable to meet Real Madrid’s demands. Instead, he is on course to begin a new adventure in France with Olympique de Marseille, a club with Champions League football, a demanding fan base, and the promise of regular minutes in a team that expects him to become a leader on the pitch.

Ceballos arrived at Real Madrid in the summer of 2017, signed from Betis for around 16 million euros, after dazzling with his performances for the Verdiblancos and earning the Player of the Tournament award at the UEFA Under-21 European Championship. He was considered one of the brightest young midfielders in Spain, gifted with vision, creativity and technical precision. Yet, from the beginning, his path at Madrid was complicated. He joined a squad overflowing with world-class talent Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, and later Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga all of whom made it nearly impossible for him to secure a consistent place in the starting eleven.

His first two seasons were marked by flashes of brilliance, such as a memorable brace against Alavés, but also by long spells on the bench. In search of minutes and development, Ceballos was loaned to Arsenal in 2019, where he spent two seasons under Unai Emery and later Mikel Arteta. At the Emirates he enjoyed more continuity, playing 77 matches and even helping Arsenal lift the FA Cup in 2020. However, his performances were inconsistent, and while he showed glimpses of his quality, he did not fully convince the club to push for a permanent transfer.

When he returned to Madrid in 2021, expectations were modest. Yet Ceballos continued to fight, working tirelessly to carve out a place for himself. Carlo Ancelotti, always a coach known for valuing technical players, gave him opportunities, particularly in cup competitions and in moments when the squad was rotated. During the 2022–23 season, he enjoyed his best run in the team, playing 45 games in all competitions. As he himself admitted recently to his friend and fellow midfielder Santi Cazorla, that season felt like a personal peak, and for a time he believed he could finally earn the trust he had been seeking for years.

But fate once again intervened in the form of injuries. Just when he had become a regular presence in Ancelotti’s plans, he suffered a setback in the Copa del Rey against Real Sociedad at Anoeta. From that moment, his role diminished again, and the familiar cycle of frustration returned. He renewed his contract with Madrid in 2022 for four more years, a sign that both he and the club still believed in the partnership, but his status remained unchanged: valuable, reliable, but never truly essential. Over the last two seasons, he accumulated 69 appearances, yet almost always coming from the bench, and almost never as a fixture in the starting lineup.

This summer summed up the contradictions of his time in Madrid. There were days when he felt certain that the only solution was to leave, and others when he still entertained the idea of continuing to fight for his place under Xabi Alonso, despite knowing he would once again be considered a secondary option. For a player who believes in his technical and tactical ability, accepting such a role felt unfair. His departure, therefore, became inevitable.

Real Madrid, aware of his contribution and commitment, have been cooperative in finding a solution. Both sides wanted the move, and compromises were made. Ceballos agreed to reduce his wage demands, and Madrid accepted to part ways for a relatively modest fee of around 10 million euros, payable within a year. The deal with Marseille is structured as a three-year contract, with the first season being a loan but with a mandatory purchase clause, ensuring that the transfer will become permanent.

The move to Marseille opens a new chapter in his career. The French club, one of the most historic and passionate in Ligue 1, has ambitions both domestically and in Europe. For Ceballos, it represents a chance to escape the shadow of Madrid’s packed midfield and finally take on the responsibility of being a starter week after week. Marseille’s fans, famous for their intensity, will expect him to deliver creativity, control and leadership in midfield, qualities that he has always shown but too rarely been allowed to display consistently.

For Real Betis supporters, the news brings mixed feelings. Many had hoped for a romantic return of their former star, who had never hidden his affection for the club. Yet financial limitations once again prevented the move, as Betis could not match Real Madrid’s valuation or compete with the package offered by Marseille. For Ceballos himself, it means closing the door, at least for now, on a homecoming he had always dreamed of.

Ceballos’s story at Madrid will be remembered as one of perseverance, professionalism and glimpses of talent that never fully blossomed in the way he and the fans had hoped. He never became the undisputed starter he aspired to be, but he leaves with trophies, experience at the highest level, and the respect of teammates and coaches who valued his effort. Injuries and circumstances may have limited his impact, but they did not break his determination.

Now, in Marseille, he has the opportunity to redefine his career. At 28, he is no longer the promising youngster of 2017 but an experienced professional eager to prove that he can be a leader. The move offers him not only the chance to play in the Champions League but also the chance to write his own story away from the shadow of the Bernabéu. For Ceballos, it is a new beginning and perhaps his last big opportunity to show the football world the full extent of his ability.