Arsenal are reportedly poised to sign Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, who was a target for Tottenham Hotspur as well, on a season-long loan.
As per a report from Spanish publication Sport, Arsenal are on the verge of securing the services of Real Madrid and Spain star Dani Ceballos on a season-long loan deal. The midfielder was also on the radars of Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, but the Gunners are set to beat them to punch.
Ceballos has been with Real Madrid for two years now, having arrived from fellow La Liga side Real Betis in 2017. But, the midfielder hasn’t been able to carve out a place for him in the starting lineup till date. While things looked promising for him under Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari, the return of Zinedine Zidane in March saw his game time take a hit once again.
Till date, the 22-year-old Ceballos has featured just 56 times for Real Madrid across all competitions, scoring five goals and setting up two more. With Zidane deeming him surplus to requirements ahead of the upcoming campaign, the Spaniard has been a subject of serious interest from Tottenham and Arsenal.
Tottenham have broken their transfer record already this summer, splashing the cash to sign Frenchman Tanguy Ndombele. But, with concerns surrounding the future of chief playmaker Christian Eriksen, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino would want to add another midfielder to their ranks, which explains their interest in Ceballos.
However, they seem to have turned their focus towards Real Betis star Giovani Lo Celso of late and are believed to be closing in on signing the Argentine midfielder, leaving the field clear for Arsenal to land Ceballos.
Arsenal lost long-time servant Aaron Ramsey to Juventus on a free transfer this summer, which has left a huge void in their midfield department. This has led to manager Unai Emery seeking a new addition in the middle of the park ahead of the upcoming campaign, with Ceballos emerging as a key target.
And as per the latest report from Sport, the North Londoners are closing in on the signature of the Real Madrid midfielder. The report claims that Ceballos has held talks with Arsenal boss Emery and the promise of regular playing time has swayed his decision towards a switch to the Emirates over Tottenham and AC Milan, who were also in the running.
The 22-year-old will join Arsenal on loan for the 2019-20 season, with no option to make the transfer permanent. Ceballos is currently away on holiday, having been involved in the UEFA European U-21 Championship with Spain. Minor details of the deal are to be ironed out and an official announcement is expected to be made in the coming days.
