Dani Ceballos (foto: Getty Images)
Ajax are reportedly close to signing Dani Ceballos, with Real Madrid expected to receive around €6 million for the Spanish midfielder.
Dani Ceballos appears increasingly likely to bring his long association with Real Madrid to an end, with Ajax reportedly closing in on a deal for the Spanish midfielder.
According to reports from Marca, negotiations between the two clubs have entered an advanced stage and the transfer could be completed within the coming days.
Ajax are expected to pay around €6 million for the 29-year-old, who is said to be open to a move to Amsterdam in search of more regular playing time.
Ajax building a new project
The Dutch giants recently appointed former Girona coach Míchel as their new manager and are working on a squad rebuild after a difficult period domestically.
Club executives reportedly view Ceballos as an important addition to that process because of his experience and technical quality.
The midfielder is believed to welcome the opportunity to play a more prominent role than he enjoyed during the final stages of his Real Madrid career.
Talent that never fully broke through
Ceballos joined Real Madrid from Real Betis in 2017 as one of Spain's most highly rated young midfielders.
Despite spending seven seasons at the club across two different spells, he never managed to establish himself as a permanent starter in Madrid's midfield.
Competition for places remained fierce throughout his time at the Bernabéu, limiting his opportunities despite occasional impressive performances.
One of the most productive periods of his career came during his loan spell at Arsenal, where he enjoyed regular minutes and demonstrated the qualities that originally made him one of Spain's most promising midfielders.
Marseille move collapsed, Ajax move looks different
Ceballos already came close to leaving Real Madrid earlier this year.
In January, a transfer to Marseille appeared close to completion before negotiations broke down at the final stage.
This time, however, reports suggest the situation is considerably more advanced.
Unless negotiations take an unexpected turn, Ceballos now seems set to continue his career in the Eredivisie, becoming one of Ajax's most notable signings of the summer.