Juventus keen on signing 28-year-old Real Madrid star in €12 million deal: Reports

Juventus are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos this summer. The 28-year-old could be on the move away from the Santiago Bernabeu in search of regular playing time.

Ceballos has failed to secure a starting role at Real Madrid. Under former manager Carlo Ancelotti, the Spaniard played a peripheral role, making just 15 starts from 23 appearances in LaLiga last season. At the recently-concluded FIFA Club World Cup, he was also sparingly used by Xabi Alonso as he managed to receive just 70 minutes of action across four appearances, all from the bench.

This situation suggests that the Spanish midfielder might not be a part of Alonso's plans for the 2025-26 season, thus casting doubts on his future at the club. According to Mundo Deportivo (via Madrid Universal), Italian giants Juventus are now monitoring Ceballos' situation ahead of a move for him this summer.

The Serie A outfit will look to take the midfielder off Madrid's hands, with a reported transfer fee of €12 million being discussed. Meanwhile, Real Betis have also been mentioned in the picture, as a return to his boyhood club is also seen as a possibility for Ceballos.

His contract with Los Blancos expires in 2027, but a move away could help him secure regular game time elsewhere. It would also help Madrid free up space in their squad.

Ceballos joined Real Madrid in 2017 from Real Betis for a reported €18 million. He enjoyed a two-season loan spell at Arsenal between 2019 and 2021 before returning to the Santiago Bernabeu. He has seven goals and 16 assists in 192 games for Los Blancos.

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19-year-old Dutch midfielder opens up amid reported transfer interest from Real Madrid

Dutch midfielder Kees Smit has opened up about speculations linking him with a transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid. The 19-year-old who plays for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar has been on the radar of multiple European clubs after a terrific 2025 European Under-19 Championship, where he emerged as the tournament's best player.

In a recent interview with HN Nieuws (via Mundo Deportivo), Smit admitted that he is excited about being linked to Real Madrid and other European heavyweights. However, he claimed he is fully focused on playing regularly and honing his skills at AZ Alkmaar.

He said:

"First, I want to prove here that I can do well and be important. The interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid is positive, but if I go there, I don’t know how many times I will play. I enjoyed watching it and reading about it.” These are very good things, without a doubt. Perhaps the two biggest clubs in the world are interested in me. Nothing is concrete yet. There’s just interest,” he added.

Smit recorded 10 goals and seven assists in 43 matches across competitions for AZ Alkmaar in the 2024-25 season. He is primarily a central midfielder, but can also be deployed in the attacking or defensive midfield position.

Edited by Nived Zenith