Dani Ceballos apparently does not want to leave Spain, therefore rather than joining Newcastle, he is considering relocating from Real Madrid to rivals Atletico Madrid after conversations.
Ceballos, 27, spent all but two seasons of his career in Spain. He began his career with Real Betis before joining juggernaut Real Madrid after two full seasons.
However, minutes were hard to come by for the midfielder, and after two seasons of failing to get on the pitch, he was loaned out to Arsenal for two seasons.
He was a valuable asset to the Gunners, but he was not signed permanently, so he returned to Real, where he played 30 La Liga games last season, starting 19 of them.
However, after appearing to be improving, he has only started once in the league out of 14 outings this season.
He could soon be handed the chance to return to England, with Newcastle keeping an eye on his every move after a long-standing interest in him.
The Magpies will apparently struggle to keep Bruno Guimaraes, and Ceballos is definitely seen as a viable replacement.
However, Eddie Howe’s side faces a significant challenge in securing the Spaniard.
Ceballos does not want to leave Spain
According to Cadena Ser, Ceballos ‘does not want to leave Spain’.
This is despite the fact that he previously spent two seasons in England, when he was a competent player for a major club.
However, he ‘is sure that he is going to leave’ Real, as there are little opportunities for him.
This is despite the fact that he last signed a new contract less than a year ago.
Ceballos is considering an unforgiving transfer route.
He could also provide a huge surprise with his next move.
Indeed, the article indicates that Atletico Madrid is one of Ceballos’ most likely destinations.
Real’s competitors have reportedly ‘already studied the player’s environment’ and ‘had informal chats’ about whether he will join.
While the Real Betis coach ‘loves him,’ it is believed he would be a better match for Atletico.
A move from Real to their rivals would be merciless, as the former club’s fans will most likely react negatively to him leaving for Atletico, regardless of whether he is getting the necessary minutes at the Bernabeu.
However, it appears that Ceballos will have to accept a wage cut wherever he goes. If he performs this for Atletico, it demonstrates serious he is about wanting to play there, something which could endear him to the fans after joining from a fierce rival.