Olympique Marseille continue their push to strengthen their midfield, and Dani Ceballos has emerged as a top target. The Spaniard has found minutes hard to come by at Real Madrid playing only 3mins of normal time in the team’s win over newly promoted side real oveido on saturday, and with the 2026 World Cup looming, he is determined to secure regular playing time elsewhere.
Softfootball understands that Ceballos has already made his preference clear to his camp, with Marseille presenting both a project he believes in and the guarantee of more consistent action. However, while the Ligue 1 club are keen, the deal has been complicated by Madrid’s stance on the transfer fee.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed the player’s position on Tuesday via his official X handle, writing:
“Dani Ceballos wants Olympique Marseille move, he trusts the project and wants to play on regular basis ahead of World Cup 2026.
Ceballos, still hoping for deal to happen despite differences on the fee. Deal depends on Real Madrid.
OM also negotiate for Florentino Luis.”
That means the ball is very much in Real Madrid’s court. Unless the Spanish giants soften their valuation, Marseille may struggle to get a breakthrough. For the real madrid long serving player, his priority is clear he wants the move and is ready to take the next step in his career.
Meanwhile, Marseille are also keeping their options open, they are holding talks for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis who is seen as a potential alternative to ceballos. Still, the French side remain hopeful of convincing Madrid to compromise, with Ceballos himself pushing hard for the switch.
