Pathé Ciss backed by Rayo coach amid exit questions

Rayo Vallecano have publicly backed Pathé Ciss after uncertainty over the Senegalese midfielder’s immediate future, with coach Beñat San José rejecting the suggestion that he deliberately refused to train. The clarification comes as interest in the 32-year-old continues before the summer transfer window closes.

Ciss missed two collective sessions this week, prompting claims that he was trying to force a departure. San José said the player had been unwell and that he saw him receiving treatment. He trained separately while recovering, then made up the workload with an extra session once he was fit. The coach presented that as evidence of Ciss’s commitment rather than a dispute with the club.

San José said he has no information about a possible transfer, although clubs in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Spain are interested. Ciss’s contract contains specific exit conditions, while Rayo’s position is that any departure would require the €10 million release clause. The coach also described him as a leader, an important player and someone who is performing strongly in training.

Rayo are 13th in LaLiga 2026 with one point from two matches, having drawn once and lost once while scoring twice and conceding three. Their next fixture is away to Barcelona on August 31. With that match approaching, San José’s intervention keeps the focus on Ciss’s availability and the club’s control over his future.