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For Real Madrid, it was a typical January transfer window where nothing happened. Real were linked to several much-needed signings but opted not to make any, and there were no permanent departures, despite players wishing to leave for a new chapter, which would have actually helped Los Blancos.
There are a number of players who, for lack of a better term, are 'dead weight', who don't play much but are on incredibly high wages, which affects future transfer plans. Real is hoping to get rid of players like David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger in the summer as their contracts expire, but there are also some players on the outskirts of the first team who were willing to leave in January, but for whatever reason, the club denied their requests.
Real received a €30 million offer from Bournemouth for Fran Garcia, and the player was open to leaving, but the club shut it down, much to the player's dismay. Another player has made it known to the club that he wishes to leave, which would help the team's wage bill, but for whatever reason Real continues to deny his request.
Another Real Madrid star wanted out
As Mario Cortegana (via MadridXtra on X) reports, Dani Ceballos was open to leaving Real in January if his former club Real Betis had made an offer. Ceballos has requested to leave the last two summers, and it's expected that he will again request to leave this summer. The report states that a return to Real Betis is preferred, but the club hasn't been able to afford the asking price or the player's salary.
The midfielder began his career at the Seville club, making his first senior team appearance in 2014 before joining Los Blancos in 2017. Although he's seen more minutes across these last two seasons than he saw during all his other seasons combined, he's still failed to establish himself as a regular starter, and as a result, he wishes to leave in search of regular minutes.
Offers came in for the midfielder in the summer but Real rejected all of them despite him being a substitute who frankly they can afford to lose if the money is good. While sometimes inconsistent, Ceballos is still a solid player and it feels like a waste keeping him as a rotation player while he wishes to leave.
The 29-year-old could see more minutes now with the injury to Jude Bellingham but when the summer transfer window rolls around, it wouldn't be a surprise if Ceballos finally gets his return to his boyhood club that he has been wishing for for the last few years.