As reported by Mirror, Dani Ceballos has admitted that he wants to be at Arsenal and is happy playing for the north London outfit.
Ceballos said, ahead of Spain’s European Championship qualifier against Norway, “Going to Arsenal has been a very important step in my career.
“I don’t feel sorry for not being in Madrid. Right now I am where I want to be and I am very happy. My idea was to go out, play and enjoy football. In the previous two years, I had not done so.”
The Spaniard moved to Emirates in a season-long loan deal from Real Madrid and will have to return to Santiago Bernabeu next summer. But, Ceballos’ positive feedback could serve as a massive boost for the Gunners.
Why has Ceballos been influential this season?
Ceballos has made quite an impression at Emirates ever since his performance against Burnley earlier in the campaign. Although he has featured in only 439 minutes of league football this season, his versatility has proved to be very useful for Unai Emery.
The ex-PSG coach has utilised his compatriot mainly in an advanced midfield or a number eight role. His ability to carry the ball and work around half-spaces has been critical to Arsenal’s transition play.
The Spaniard has also provided the energy in midfield, which coupled with the excellent combination of Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi, have made the Gunners’ one of the best performing teams in the league this campaign.
It’s also fair to point out that Ceballos has been used as a super-sub, at times as well. And to put simply, his presence in the team has added another dimension to the Arsenal midfield.
Why Arsenal should keep hold of Ceballos?
Ceballos could be an important cog in the Arsenal set up as Emery looks to usher in a new era. The Gunners have shown signs of improvement in midfield and credit should be given to both Guendouzi and Ceballos.
As mentioned earlier, the 23-year-old has enhanced the overall quality of the Arsenal side. But most importantly, his presence in the team has prevented the club from appearing overreliant on the services of Mesut Ozil as far as the creativity is concerned.
This is because Ceballos has tendencies to march forward and link-up with teammates. In fact, his energetic style of play arguably makes him an upgrade over Ozil. And with the Gunners reportedly preparing to offload the German, they should do everything they can to keep hold of Ceballos beyond next summer.
