Real Madrid rejected a late swap deal for fringe midfielder – report | OneFootball

It is no secret that Dani Ceballos came close to leaving Real Madrid this summer, with there even being an agreement with Olympique de Marseille over a loan deal with a buy option.

However, the move ended up collapsing as the Spanish midfielder made a late U-turn and called off the operation.

It turns out that before all this unfolded, the Ligue 1 giants had proposed a peculiar deal to sign the midfielder from the Spanish capital club.

A swap deal also rejected

Indeed, according to a report from Defensa Central, Marseille even had floated the idea of exchanging Adrien Rabiot for Dani Ceballos.

But the Real Madrid hierarchy quickly dismissed the proposal as they had little interest in bringing in the Frenchman.

Real Madrid were offered a chance to sign Rabiot. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Once seen as a player bound for the top, Rabiot’s career trajectory has gradually shifted towards clubs outside the European elite.

Furthermore, concerns about his entourage and its impact inside a harmonious Real Madrid dressing room also weighed heavily against the move.

After rejecting the Rabiot option, Real Madrid entered talks with Marseille over a potential permanent transfer for Ceballos. In the end, though, the 29-year-old midfielder himself blocked the move.

The Spaniard hoped for a return to his former club, but their financial situation meant that it was never an option. There have been some tentative links to Turkey as well, where the transfer window is still not closed.

However, unless there is any drastic change, Ceballos will continue at Real Madrid, at least until January, when Juventus could revive their interest in him.