The midfielder's farewell announcement confused Real Madrid fans


Real Madrid confirmed what had become an open secret on Friday that midfielder Dani Ceballos would leave the club. The 29-year-old has not had a major role at the team for a long time, but constant reports of his departure never seemed to materialize until this summer. Los Blancos and Ceballos eventually agreed to terminate his contract with one year remaining. The Spain international has been heavily linked with Ajax, but the familiar story of interest from hometown club Real Betis is also looming in the background. Ceballos used social media to publish a farewell letter to his fans, admitting that it had not been an easy year, in which he was dropped from the squad by Alvaro Arbeloa. In the statement, he thanked the club, chairman, coaches, staff, teammates and fans who contributed to his time at the club. However, there may be a sentence in the letter that upset some Madridistas. It was widely reported that the falling out between Ceballos and Arbeloa was the reason for his absence in the final months of the season, and some have even accused him of leaking information from the dressing room to the press. Still, Ceballos has no regrets about his time, saying “I leave with a peaceful mind because I gave everything to this icon.” Clearly, by the end of his time, few in the Bernabeu crowd had any affection for him. Ceballos' full farewell letter is as follows: "After nine years, the time has come to close one of the most important chapters of my life. This has not been an easy decision. Just as it has not been easy over the past year, and perhaps for that reason, I feel the time has come to close this chapter and face a new challenge with the same thrill that I felt when I first arrived. I want to thank Real Madrid for giving me the opportunity to wear this symbol on my shoulders. greatest in the world and learning from the best over the years. It has been an honor to defend this shirt, to develop as a player and as a person, and to be part of a history full of success that I will always remember for your unconditional support, for your high standards, for celebrating the happiest moments with me, and for being there for me in the most difficult times. Your affection means more than words can express and will stay with me forever. Real Madrid will always be a part of me, and I will always be grateful.