Arsenal have seen three loanees leave the club, and Dani Ceballos is the least likely to make a return to the Emirates Stadium.
Mat Ryan and Martin Odegaard appear to still be on the radar, but Ceballos is heading back to Real Madrid and won’t come back after two years on loan with Arsenal.
Arsenal allegedly decided in May that they wouldn’t pursue a permanent deal for Ceballos, performing something of a U-turn having previously looked into a full-time move.
What has Ceballos said?
Speaking to AS back in Spain, Ceballos has predicted that Mikel Arteta will become one of the best coaches in the world soon.
Arteta has come in for criticism from some Arsenal fans, but Ceballos seemingly has no doubt that he will be an exceptional manager.
Ceballos ruled out signing for Arsenal again this summer though, stating that he wants to play in La Liga after two years in England. Whether that comes with Real or another club remains to be seen.
“Arteta is a coach who has been with Guardiola for a few years. He is a coach who in a few years will be one of the best, but I would like to return to La Liga,” said Ceballos.
Will Arsenal miss Ceballos?
Probably not.
Ceballos played 77 times for Arsenal during his loan spell, registering only two goals and five assists – simply not enough for a player of his talent having been branded ‘top quality’ by Unai Emery.
The 24-year-old showed glimpses of his quality but was never truly able to string together a run of games where he influenced matches.
Arsenal need more from their midfield, and moving on from Ceballos is absolutely the right decision based on his two years in North London.
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