Who should replace Dani Ceballos?
CM/CDMReal Madrid · 2024/25 · ranked by tactical + market fitDani Ceballos's profile ↗
If a club needs to replace Dani Ceballos, the best-fitting central midfielders are Exequiel Palacios, Maxence Caqueret, João Neves. Exequiel Palacios (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) matches the role at 91/100 on tactical profile (82/100 overall). A cheaper option: Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta at about €1.8m. Data as of July 2026.
Best replacements for Dani Ceballos
| # | Player | Club | Age | Value | Tactical | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exequiel Palaciossimilar↗ | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 25 | €26m | 91 | 82 |
| 2 | Maxence Caqueretsimilar↗ | Olympique Lyonnais | 23 | €13m | 90 | 82 |
| 3 | João Nevessimilar↗ | Paris Saint-Germain | 20 | €148m | 90 | 79 |
| 4 | Elliot Andersonsimilar↗ | Nottingham Forest | 23 | €68m | 90 | 77 |
| 5 | Iñigo Ruiz de Galarretasimilar↗ | Athletic Club | 32 | €1.8m | 90 | 76 |
| 6 | Angelo Stillersimilar↗ | VfB Stuttgart | 22 | €46m | 89 | 79 |
| 7 | Conor Gallaghersimilar↗ | Chelsea | 23 | €31m | 89 | 78 |
| 8 | Pedrisimilar↗ | FC Barcelona | 22 | €164m | 89 | 80 |
| 9 | Luka Modrićsimilar↗ | AC Milan | 40 | €3.8m | 88 | 76 |
| 10 | Tom Cairneysimilar↗ | Fulham | 32 | €500k | 88 | 78 |
| 11 | Mateo Kovačićsimilar↗ | Manchester City | 30 | €9.7m | 88 | 77 |
| 12 | Toni Kroossimilar↗ | Real Madrid | 33 | €3.7m* | 88 | 78 |
* estimated market value · scores 0–100, league-strength adjusted · data: Sofascore, last 3 seasons
Why these players match Dani Ceballos
≈ 100% Dani Ceballos · strong: Touches, Possession won in att. third · medium reliability
Strengths: Touches /90, Possession won in att. third /90, Sofascore rating
≈ 100% Dani Ceballos · strong: Sofascore rating, Successful dribbles · low reliability
Strengths: Sofascore rating, Successful dribbles /90, Accurate final-third passes /90
≈ 100% Dani Ceballos · strong: Sofascore rating, Aerial duels won % · medium reliability
Strengths: Sofascore rating, Aerial duels won %, Touches /90
FAQ
Who is the best replacement for Dani Ceballos?
By Doppel's tactical-fit score, Exequiel Palacios (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) does the closest job to Dani Ceballos, at 91/100 on profile. Maxence Caqueret and João Neves follow.
Is there a cheaper player who can replace Dani Ceballos?
Yes — Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta (Athletic Club) plays a similar central midfielder role at roughly €1.8m, a 76/100 match.
How does Doppel find replacements for Dani Ceballos?
Doppel learns Dani Ceballos's role profile from his 2024/25 season and ranks central midfielders across the big-5 leagues and more by how closely they do the same job, adjusted for league strength.
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