Arsenal are reportedly set to beat Tottenham Hotspur to Dani Ceballos.
According to a new report from AS, Real Madrid playmaker Dani Ceballos is one step away from joining Arsenal on loan, after Tottenham Hotspur thought they had a move in the pipeline.
Ceballos, 22, has struggled for playing time since signing for Real Madrid in 2017, but many will remember how good he was for Real Betis, and he showed that again this summer with Spain at the Under-21 European Championships.
The midfielder needs playing time, and whilst he doesn’t want to give up on his Real career, he is at least willing to go out on loan, and North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham have been interested.
Now, it’s claimed that Ceballos is one step away from joining Arsenal, as he has been attracted by Unai Emery’s desire to sign him, with the move unlikely to have a purchase clause included.
It’s noted that Spurs appeared to have a deal on the verge of completion, but Arsenal have – allegedly – swooped in to overtake their bitter rivals in the race for Ceballos’s signature.
That would be a major blow for Spurs, and may well leave them to go back to Real Betis for Argentina international Giovani Lo Celso as they pursue a new playmaker this summer.
It’s something of a surprise to see Ceballos pick Arsenal at this point, as they are only in the Europa League, whereas Spurs have Champions League football to offer, as well as a more realistic shot at the Premier League title.
Ceballos may have more confidence that he’ll play week in and week out at Arsenal, which is imperative after two years mostly on the sidelines at Real, but it remains to be seen what happens, with AS’s report the latest in a long line of claims about the Spaniard’s future.
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