Arsenal were one of the busiest teams in the transfer market this summer. The Gunners completed the signing of a host of star players, with Dani Ceballos being one of them. The Spanish U-21 star joined from Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal.
It is believed that the 23-year-old has been initially brought in as the replacement for Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman joined Juventus after running out his contract at Arsenal at the end of last season.
But, in this article, we will discuss the potential problems Ceballos could face in his bid to succeed at the Emirates this season.
Competition in midfield
Arsenal’s midfield duo of Matteo Guendouzi and Granit Xhaka have displayed excellent form in the early season. Guendouzi’s tackling and willingness to win back possession for his team has complemented the aggressive yet composed nature of Xhaka.
It was evident in their performance against Newcastle United, where both the midfielders ran the show in the middle. But, aside from these two, Arsenal also have Lucas Torreira. The Uruguayan international is a dynamic midfielder, whose all-round qualities will surely restrict the overall gametime of Ceballos at Emirates this season.
There is, of course, the potential of any three of them getting injured during the campaign. But, Ceballos could struggle to get into the side, should at least two of them remain fit. Although to be fair, given today’s performance against Burnley, it is difficult to see Emery not picking the Real Madrid man. Our hunch though is that once Torreira and Xhaka gain full fitness, Ceballos would be accommodated in a more advanced midfield position.
The presence of Ozil, Willock’s emergence
The fact that Ceballos can operate as the number ten makes it easier for managers to accomodate him into the starting lineup. But, even then, things could be tricky for Unai Emery, who could face a dilemma when it comes to choosing his desired number ten.
The Spanish coach confirmed that Mesut Ozil is mentally fit to play, thereby boosting his options in the said role. The German is, without a doubt, a quality playmaker. He did quite well during the backend of last season under Emery, after initially making a slow start to the campaign.
Ozil is a threat to Ceballos in the number ten role. But, he isn’t the only one as Joe Willock has also emerged as an attractive first-team option. The youngster impressed in the pre-season and had another solid game against Burnley today.
No scope for failure
With so much competition, Ceballos must provide something substantial to the table for Arsenal if he is to become a success at the club this season. Today’s performance will go a long way towards doing that in all fairness. The Gunners have struggled a lot with their ball retention, of late. And to tackle that problem, Emery may play him out of position, at times – sometimes even on the wings.
Therefore, Ceballos will need to be prepared and failing the impress on his limited opportunities may lead to Emery resorting to other players.
