Dani Ceballos (foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Dani Ceballos has completed an emotional return to Real Betis, signing a three-year contract with his boyhood club after leaving Real Madrid.
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Dani Ceballos is a Real Betis player again. Nine years after leaving Seville for Real Madrid, the Spanish midfielder has completed his long-awaited return to the club where his career began.
The 30-year-old joined Betis as a free agent on the final day of the transfer window and signed a contract until June 30, 2029. His return had been expected for almost two months after Real Madrid agreed to terminate the final year of his contract early.
Ceballos' new deal places him in Betis' third salary bracket and includes different financial conditions depending on whether the club qualifies for the Champions League, Europa League or misses out on European football. Performance-related bonuses are also included.
From Betis prospect to Real Madrid trophy winner
Ceballos left Betis for Real Madrid in 2017 for around €16.5m, having registered 105 appearances, seven goals and nine assists for the Andalusian club.
His nine-year adventure away from Betis produced an extraordinary collection of trophies. With Real Madrid, Ceballos won three Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups, three Club World Cups, three Spanish Super Cups and the Intercontinental Cup.
He made 215 official appearances for Real Madrid, scoring seven goals and providing 16 assists, although he was never able to establish himself permanently as an undisputed starter at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Ceballos also spent two seasons on loan at Arsenal between 2019 and 2021, making 77 appearances with two goals and six assists and adding the Community Shield to his trophy collection.
Now, after an elite career that also includes 13 appearances and one goal for Spain, Ceballos is going back to where everything started. His return could hardly come at a more significant moment, with Betis preparing to play in the Champions League for the first time in more than two decades.
The dream was Real Madrid, and Ceballos leaves the Bernabéu with a remarkable trophy cabinet. But at 30, his new reality is also his old home: Real Betis.