Dani Ceballos reunion with Real Madrid follows Jose Mourinho’s decision to end his contract

Jose Mourinho has revealed that a three-minute phone call led to Dani Ceballos leaving Real Madrid and returning to Real Betis, the club he will face in La Liga on Friday.

Mourinho discussed the Spanish midfielder’s departure during his pre-match news conference before Real Madrid’s meeting with Real Betis. The fixture will be played on Friday as part of the fourth round of the Spanish league season.

The Portuguese manager explained that he told Ceballos directly that he was not part of his plans at Real Madrid.

“We spoke for three minutes on the phone, and I told him that I was not counting on him,” Mourinho said, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

The decision was followed by an agreement to terminate Ceballos’ contract, allowing the player to choose his next club without being tied to Real Madrid.

“Players often hold on to their contracts, but in this case he understood the situation and said he would prefer to become a free agent and decide his own future,” Mourinho added. “We reached an agreement and terminated the contract, so Ceballos was free to choose his destination.”

Real Betis confirmed the signing of Ceballos on Wednesday, announcing that he had agreed a contract running until the summer of 2029.

His move represents a return to the club where his senior career began. Ceballos left Real Betis for Real Madrid nine years ago, and his return comes with the possibility of an immediate reunion against his former side.

Real Betis will host Real Madrid on Friday evening, meaning Ceballos could make his first appearance for his new club against the team he has just left. The timing has added significance to a transfer that was completed only one day before the match.

For Mourinho, the decision was based on a clear conversation with the player and an agreement that both sides accepted. Rather than remaining at Real Madrid under a contract while not featuring in the manager’s plans, Ceballos opted to end his deal and determine his own next step.

That choice allowed him to return to Real Betis, the club that gave him his start and where he will now begin the next stage of his career. It also creates the possibility that his first appearance after leaving Real Madrid could come against the Spanish giants in front of the Betis supporters.

Mourinho’s explanation also addressed the wider issue of players remaining with clubs despite not being part of the manager’s plans. In Ceballos’ case, the midfielder accepted the situation, agreed to the contract termination and secured the freedom to select his next destination.

The match on Friday will therefore bring together Ceballos and Real Madrid only days after the details of his departure were made public.