Liverpool handed real boost in chase for £32m Coutinho replacement – Spanish reports

Dani Ceballos has endured a tough time since signing for Real Madrid. The Spaniard was reportedly wanted by a host of top clubs from Europe including Barcelona but chose to join the Los Blancos last summer. So far, the 21-year-old has failed to gain the trust of manager Zinedine Zidane, making only 18 appearances in all competitions this season.

Ceballos penned a six-year deal with Real when he signed for £14.5m last summer from Real Betis but his lack of game time at the club has seen his value dip down massively. The player now wants to move out at the end of the season.

The talented midfielder was livid after Zidane handed him just 29 seconds to make a mark during Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Leganes. After the humiliation of getting just half a minute, Ceballos is frustrated with his time at Santiago Bernabeu and has told Real president Florentino Perez that he wants an exit, according to Spanish publication Marca (h/t Daily Star).

Having been frozen out by Zidane, Ceballos is keen to move out of Real and has been extensively linked with a move to Liverpool in recent months.

The report adds the Spaniard is just rated at £32m, which Jurgen Klopp considers a snip. He is understood to be interested in signing the player at the end of the season.

The Reds lost Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in the January transfer window and while there were suggestions that Klopp would bring in a replacement last month, he chose to stay calm and stick with the squad at his disposal. In the summer, the manager would have the chance to spend heavily, with Ceballos earmarked to be the player to replace Coutinho at Anfield.

Also, as days pass by, Emre Can’s departure from our club comes closer as the German midfielder is tipped to leave Anfield on a free transfer at the end of this campaign.

Ceballos may be young but he is still among the most exciting talents across Europe and he definitely deserves more game time. But as he is not finding the same at Real at the moment, it will be wise for him to move on as he just cannot continue to be a benchwarmer.

If he considers leaving Spain, Klopp must certainly try to get him as the player is expected to have a lot of clubs circling around him in the summer.