Real Madrid star likely to leave, as he's not a part of Xabi Alonso's plans: Reports

Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos could reportedly exit the club, as he's not a part of new boss Xabi Alonso's plans. Alonso succeeded the legendary Carlo Ancelotti this summer.

In Alonso's first assignment at the FIFA Club World Cup, Los Blancos fell in the last-four to Paris Saint-Germain, losing 4-0. However, Ceballos played just three times, all from the bench, and didn't feature in the heavy loss to PSG.

The Spaniard has made 45 appearances across competitions this season, assisting twice. One of them came in the Copa del Rey, where Madrid fell to arch-rivals Barcelona in the final, while the other was in the UEFA Champions League, where Los Blancos lost to Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

Despite being contracted to the Santiago Bernabeu till 2027, Ceballos faces an uncertain future in the Spanish capital if his involvement in the Club World Cup is any indication. As per MARCA (via Madrid Universal), Ceballos isn't one of Alonso's first-choice options, having featured just 70 minutes in the aforementioned tournament.

The report mentions his former club Real Betis as a possible option for Ceballos should he leave the Bernabeu. Nevertheless, his fortunes could still improve if he impresses in pre-season. Moreover, with the departure of club legends Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Madrid might be loathe to lose another experienced midfielder.

Real Madrid's 2024-25 season recap

Real Madrid ended their extended 2024-25 season without any major silverware, finishing second, behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race. As mentioned above, they also lost to Barca in the Copa del Rey final as well as the Supercopa Espana title matches.

Apart from relinquishing their league title, Los Blancos also fell short in their UEFA Champions League title defence, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal in the last-eight. Following a 3-0 first-leg away loss, Carlo Ancelotti's side lost 2-1 at home to bow out with a whimper.

After Ancelotti was replaced this summer by Ancelotti, Madrid's hopes of a title at the FIFA Club World Cup came undone in a rousing defeat to reigning European quadruple winners PSG.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav