Dani Ceballos says he’s always kept an eye on Arsenal because his childhood idol Jose Antonio Reyes, also from the Andalucian town of Utrera, played for the Gunners.
The Spain international also revealed that Reyes’ father had endorsed his switch to the Emirates confirming that his son, who tragically died in a motor accident in June at the age of 35, had enjoyed his time in London.
?? @DaniCeballos46 on Jose Antonio Reyes…
"I spoke to his father before coming here and he told me not to think twice because this is a wonderful club.
"When I came into the training ground I saw a picture of him and it really struck me because he's my childhood idol."
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 26, 2019
“This is a historic club that I’ve always looked out for because of Jose Antonio Reyes who is from the same town as me and played here,” Ceballos told Arsenal.com.
“He made history at this club winning the league title, so it’s an important step in my career.
“Yes, I spoke to his [Reyes’] father just before coming here and he told me not to think twice because this is a wonderful club,” he added. “Jose had a fantastic time here.
“When I came into the training ground today I saw a picture of him and it really struck me because he’s like my childhood idol.”
Reyes won the Premier League, FA Cup and the Community during three seasons at Highbury. He went on to win La Liga with Real Madrid and five Europa League titles in six years with Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.
Ceballos also touched on Arsenal’s long-standing interest in him, confirming that he opted to turned down the Gunners in 2017 when he moved from Real Betis to Real Madrid.
“Yeah, Arsenal have always kept a close eye on my career, but at the end of the day all players have to make decisions in their career,” he said.
At Arsenal we ooze class. So nice to have Reyes’ picture out on the training ground. RIP Gunner.
Guess who we’re paying Madrid 55 million for next summer?
If we did, we’d know what we’re getting
Possibly. However, that assumes a) he is a success (we hope so – but he’s probably not laced up his boots yet, let alone kicked a ball), b) Madrid want to sell him (usually reliable reports from Spain suggest he wants to return to play there after the loan), c) if they do want to sell, we will be able to afford the fee (the better he plays, the higher it will be and we’re not exactly rolling in cash). Best wait and see before getting too excited about signing him just yet.
Step 1: Become overwhelmed with both pride for my clubs and sadness for the loss of a club legend
Step 2: Try not to cry
Step 3: Fail miserably
*club
Still find it hard to read that Reyes is dead. Just awful.
It really is. Such a tragic and unnecessary waste. I do hope that at least a few who followed and looked up to him will think twice before driving like idiots in the future.
Why no mention of Kolasinic’s heroics here or on the blog?
Probably because everyone is used to seeing him do it week in week out for us. I saw the video. He got out of the car and ran down the flank of the car before crossing the car to give chase.
And he didn’t run anywhere near as quick coming back to the car…..
LOL
Still a very proper job of pressing and defending –
This could be a Unai Emery training tactic. Remember Kato from the pink panther movies. He said he wants to improve kola and amns defence. How better than to lay in wait and have people attack them.
Next up amn will have a Kung fu master assault him as he does his grocery shopping.
Very bad decision making from him though. He should never get out of a car to chase a criminal. He could have been badly injured and his career stopped.
You’re right of course, but Logic is in rare supply in situations like that, and he did well in the end.
I’d have driven over the fucks. But then I’m an American and we’re ‘desensitized to these kinds of things’. Best form of self defense here is a 100,000 quid vehicle.
Only if your 100 quid vehicle has a Trump sticker and burns 5 miles per gallon of fuel! ‘Murica!
Nah, those folks would rather get out, argue incoherently about conspiracy theories, follow that up with some racial epithets, and then try to shoot them.
Afterwards they would believe the assailants were working for Hillary to take them out because they knew too much about her scheme to trade uranium to asylum seekers in exchange for re-tweets from the basement of her pizza shop.
Because that’s what someone on FOX news said.
What do Mustafi, Kroenke and Trump have in common?
People use them for cheap up votes.
Didn’t work for you though.
Yes. The really worrying thing is the number of these attacks on players in that area – the one involving our players was by no means the first. I assume that the robbers think players will have a lot of expensive items on them.
I hope every opposing right fullback in the Prem sees this. “Oh, Sead, you want to overlap? Please, go right ahead. A cross? Of course, sir.”
Didn’t he say the exact same thing about hector?
“Yes, I spoke to his [Reyes’] father just before coming here and he told me not to think twice because this is a wonderful club,” he added.
So that basically confirms Hector Bellerin is Reyes’s father.
I knew it all along
Players do not think twice before coming to Arsenal. They do same when leaving for mo’ money.
“Strong men also cry.”
Yes- fathers do have a great influence on many Arsenal players.. Thinking about Corporal Jenks’ dad especially..?
Less so in sczesney’s case
Everton Lacazette Aubameyang
Ozil
Ceballos
Torriera
INCOMING FORCE!!!!!!
What is that formation? I see you’ve opted for no defence. Bold strategy Cotton.
We might actually let in fewer goals that way …
Oooh a 0-1-1-1-3!
Exciting stuff, I have belief!
Scratch Everton. Insert Pépé!
Woo!
Zaha Lacazette Aubameyang
Ceballos Ozil
Torriera
INCOMING BRUTALITY!!….PL beware!!!
Make up your mind
Hard to..to be honest
I love everton though
Until you put in our defense…
If we could just buy zaha….
Now zaha and ziyach in. Ozil and iwobi out
Too bad we could not swing an option to buy clause. This will represent a short term fix at most. Next summer if we should be out of CL again, we will struggle to pay for Cebellos and commitments prematurely made to Saliba (not to mention other positions that will need revisiting like Lback) Its called kicking the can down the road. Its still uncertain if we will add a winger AND a Cback. I’m reasonably confident we will add one but I can’t put it past these guys to decide we could not find sufficient value in market for… Read more »
Cebellos will at very least add a bit of depth. Even assuming we keep Smith-Rowe around (which we should) there is still Ozil (I don’t think he’ll be sold) and Mhkitaryan at AM. The latter should be sold to raise some money IMO. He is in his waning years but still of value in a slower league like Italy. That will mean Cebellos will cover Ozil. BUT we will certainly have need for him as well in the deeper role. We lack control and authority and we are a team short on technical quality not cojones. A dribbler like Ceballos… Read more »
You’re definitely the new Fat Gooner.
More annoying
Hey, I like the new Fat Gooner.
Is anybody else as irritated by the D. on his shirt as me
Don’t worry I’ll give you the D later
Smooth
That’s because we’re about to sign his brother.
Reyes good for one season. I suppose Cebellos too.
RIP Reyes.
Welcome to the gunners. I hope you have a great season with us.