Ajax Amsterdam have slammed the door shut on one of Jose Mourinho's cast-offs at Real Madrid, throwing the future of a player who has just cut ties with the Spanish giants into disarray.
Dani Ceballos has ended his Real Madrid career after nine years in the ranks. Both parties reached a mutual agreement to terminate a contract that ran until 2027, and the Spain international became a free agent from 1 July.
Mourinho drove that decision. The Portuguese left Ceballos out of his plans for the new season.
A move to Ajax had looked all but done during the current summer window. Then came the news: the Dutch club had pulled out of negotiations for the midfielder for good.
According to Marca, Ajax ended weeks of intense contact and waiting after failing to get a positive answer from the Andalusian.
The Dutch side had struck an initial financial agreement with Real Madrid over the transfer while Ceballos was still under contract in Spain. The deal collapsed over the player's demands.
Ending his Real Madrid contract before any move could happen proved the biggest hurdle. Ceballos's lingering doubts made it worse, with the midfielder never fully convinced Ajax was the right place to take his career forward.
Tired of the uncertainty and of leaving their offer on the table with no clear response, Ajax walked away.
That call ends the relationship entirely. Ceballos must now hunt for other options to sort out his footballing future.