Pathe Ciss steps up transfer dispute with Rayo Vallecano

Pathe Ciss has refused to train with Rayo Vallecano as he attempts to secure a move before the transfer window closes.

With eight days remaining before the market shuts in Europe’s five major leagues, the Senegal international has escalated his dispute with the Spanish club, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

The 32-year-old midfielder did not take part in training on Monday, a decision that underlines his determination to leave Rayo Vallecano after five years with the club. Ciss is understood to have told the club’s executives that he believes his time in Madrid has reached its natural conclusion and that he wants a new challenge.

Rayo Vallecano, however, are not prepared to consider offers below €10m. That figure matches the release clause in Ciss’s contract, and the club have shown little willingness to negotiate a lower fee.

The valuation has proved too high for the Senegalese midfielder’s potential suitors. Transfermarkt rates Ciss at €1.8m, while he has only one year remaining on his current deal. That assessment is almost 10 times lower than the sum Rayo Vallecano are demanding.

Marca reports that a Spanish club competing in Europe is interested in signing Ciss. Besiktas of Turkey and Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab are also said to be monitoring the situation.

Ciss has been an important member of the Rayo Vallecano squad in recent seasons and has started the campaign prominently. He has played two matches, making two starts and completing 180 minutes.

That record helps explain why Rayo Vallecano are reluctant to allow one of their most frequently used players to leave. The club’s resistance also reflects the history between the two parties, with disagreements over a potential transfer having emerged previously.

In 2023, two years after Ciss joined Rayo Vallecano from Fuenlabrada, the club blocked a move to Olympique Lyonnais despite an agreement reportedly having already been arranged.

Rayo Vallecano subsequently maintained a firm stance when approaches arrived from Valencia, Celta, Valladolid, Girona, Metz, Al Arabi of Qatar, Lens, Stuttgart and Adana Demirspor. Al-Shabab, who are again linked with the player, also expressed interest last summer.

Ciss has won 34 caps for Senegal and recently reached the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. His international experience and regular involvement at club level have made him a sought-after player, but Rayo Vallecano’s €10m asking price has so far prevented a deal from being completed.

The immediate focus is now on whether Ciss’s refusal to train will force the Spanish club to reconsider its position, or whether he will remain at Rayo Vallecano beyond the transfer deadline.