Dani Ceballos says it took him some time to get to grips with English football, not helped by the fact he had a significant injury, but believes he’s made real progress as a player since his arrival in the Premier League.
The midfielder credits Mikel Arteta for learning a different way of playing, but insists it was his hard work on the training ground which helped him win over the Arsenal boss and gain a place in the side.
Ceballos has been increasingly influential in recent weeks, so much so that Arsenal have asked Real Madrid about taking him on loan for another season, and he’s player fans have connected with.
Not simply through what he does on the pitch, but his determination to fight for a place when his departure in January was a strong possibility.
“Spanish football is much more tactical and technical, whereas English football is a lot more physical,” he told Sky Sports.
“I found it difficult to adapt to that and get used to the rhythm of the game, which was more or less what I expected because I knew the speed was going to be very high.
“But after my injury, I came back and reached a very good level. Since then, I think I’ve made a lot of progress physically as well as technically.
“The truth is that I worked so hard out there. I trained to my limits and now I have a very high physical level.
“That, combined with the part of my game that the míster likes, which is having the ball and being a protagonist, means I’m now a player who fits into his team.
“Since we came back from Dubai, I have played practically every minute with him. That’s been thanks to him, but also thanks to what I have done and what I have demonstrated on the pitch.
“I told him, ‘Look, I want to show that I can play here.’ I think I have done that.”
As for his future, he sounds more than open to staying another season – perhaps more if a permanent deal can be done, but he has to go back to Real Madrid at the end of the campaign to discuss matters with them.
“I have to return to Real Madrid and they have to make a decision because I have a contract there for the next three years.
“Once I know their decision, I will sit down with my family and the people close to me and see what’s best for me next year.
“But the truth is I’m very happy at Arsenal. It’s a club in which I already have a year of experience, so it would be very easy to return. I wouldn’t have to adapt to a new league or new club with a different manager and players.
“I think it would be a good step for me.”
Speaking of short termism in the likes of David Luiz and Sokrates should also include one year loans. Despite him playing very good lately, I dont see the point of allocating precious EPL minutes to a loanee. IMHO.
Why not Torreira, Willock AMN or Guendouzi? Remember that the later is out of the equation now but not at the beginning of the season.
Another loan should include an option to buy…
buying him outright for 20m ish seems reasonable though too.
Sometimes today is more important than tomorrow, I think this gets lost when us fans analyse transfers and players. Play the best 11 you have available, whether that’s a loan player or not has zero bearing on the game at hand. Points and cups are more important than any given contract status.
Because, as much as we all love to see young talent grow in an Arsenal shirt, the main purpose in choosing a squad is to find the combination of talents that give you the best chance of winning. Ceballos offers something that none of the others you mentioned do at this time. It’s not like they’ve been shut out either. It is up to them to earn their playing time and then take their chances when given. Or, in the case of Guendouzi, to get his head out of his arse and realize that being petulant and stubborn is only… Read more »
He’s proven that he’s worth another year on loan at least. He has a swagger about him I love and seems much more up for the fight. And nobody else wears that gum shield any better
Let’s keep taking him on loan every year for next three years and by then he will become a free agent ? . Considering our tight budget, 20+ million for him won’t fit our scheme, hopefully we can get him on loan for another year. He has been phenomenal since his goal against Sheffield
There’s two teams in Sheffield, mate. It’s a bit disrespectful to both United and Wednesday to put it as you have.
12 downlikes for politely stating facts. I can see why other fans think we’re mugs. ?
I’m politely down voting. There is one team from Sheffield in the Premier League.
So there’s only one league in the football pyramid?
Ceballos never played against Wednesday, so I don’t see the need to specify which team from Sheffield is meant, because everybody knows it. I don’t think it is meant in a disrespectful way.
When my mate tells me that he met “Ed” yesterday downtown, I would also assume that he means our high school classmate Ed and not Ed Sheeran or Ed, 47 year old plumber, a new aquaintance from Milton Keynes.
Otherwise he would have specified that he met Ed Sheeran or Ed, the plumber from MK.
I don’t think he meant any disrespect mate.. how often we say City, or United .. we don’t disrespect Leicester or Newcastle..
I’m sure it wasnt meant in disrespect, but that doesnt stop it being disrespectful.
And I know plenty of Leicester and Newcastle fans who do find this disrespectful.
They need to get over it. We can call them whatever we like, and they are lucky it’s not a lot worse. I’m sure all fans of other clubs always respectfully and politely refer to our team as Arsenal Football Club, and never any nicknames, right?
Brilliant, so let’s all sink to the lowest level possible yeah? Because that’s really the way to live our lives and improve this shithole of a planet we currently live on.
You shouldn’t call it the football “pyramid”, an outdated term that has connotations of slavery due to the construction of the pyramids of Giza.
You would have offended tens of people with that comment.
And here you offend the Slavs by calling the subjugation of humans by force “slavery”.
I bet you can’t pronounce Kanu.
Before the PL became the global standard it was not uncommon to see us called “Arsenal London” outside the UK.
Still happening today, especially when people on TV talk about the club. In writing not so much anymore.
But we haven’t played the other shefield this season. Lol
Impressive, made it clear enough he’d stay and sign here if we reach an agreement with Madrid. I think we should sign him now that he’s cheap, he’s 23, he’s technical but lately he’s been more physical since Arteta made it clear. I think he could get to that Cazorla’s level of technicality + Physicality in the EPL. I mean not exactly another Cazorla, but a player similar who can recreate moments of Santi. Having Ceballos, getting Partey and an attacking midfielder plus defensive reinforcements would be the best and would be fantastic TBH. What are the odds of that… Read more »
I just don’t see how we keep him, Xhaka and potentially Partey happy. The more I think about it, signing Ceballos would rule out the Partey signing. Xhaka never gets injured and plays every match. If he didn’t play he’d leave 100%. Ceballos’ priority in his next club is playing time ahead of the Euros. He won’t come back to Arsenal if he’s not going to be first 11. Partey obviously has to play.. So think about how often the 3 of them would be playing together? If we use a back 3 then the answer is ‘Never’. And this… Read more »
Having Xhaka, Ceballos and Partey would be amazing bruv. Mad squad depth in the midfield.
It’ll be the same situation as City seasons ago, having reliable players all over the place including the bench, I’d like to think Arteta can handle that sort of midfield headache.
Yes Guendouzi will be sold and maybe Torreira to raise funds for defensive reinforcements
Well, Partey can drop into the back 3 when not in possession and move to defensive midfield when in possession.
This was precisely what Fernandinho used to do and I think Arteta wants Partey to play the Fernandinho role. Let us see what transpired but I don’t think it would be difficult to have the 3 start together. It’s a BIG IF that he signs, considering the finances.
I think they can play together at the same time. Even if we are playing with 3 at the back recently – in case of the teams out of the top 6 we could easily return to the 4-2-3-1 formation with Ceballos in the no. 10 role. Even if he is not exactly an assist king like Ozil was in his prime, we saw how intelligent and good passer he is. With the playing intelligent of Xhaka, Party and Him plus their willingness to take part in defending – I think our midfield would be extremly solid. (Not to mention… Read more »
I’d have to disagree, it seems like a back 3 is a necessity borne out of circumstance right now; i think the idea most people have is with Partey we’d have more solidity and could revert to a back 4, allowing a midfield 3 (which would allow Partey, Xhaka, Ceballos to play together if that’s what you see as our strongest combination)
I think a back 4 of Bellerin/Soares, Mari, Salida, and Tierney should be strong enough to allow us to go back to a 4-2-3-1 formation. I’d like Xhaka and Torreira in midfield with Ceballos as a 10.
Why should that be a concern? The idea is to create the best team possible. For me Ceballos is a better player than Xhaka already, and certainly has a much higher ceiling. Just because Xhaka has been good since Arteta came in doesnt mean we can’t also keep an eye on the market and upgrade if possible. I’ve not seen much of Partey, but what I have seen he’d make a fantastic midfield 3 with Torreira and Ceballos.
Long term I think Arteta will want to play a back four and three in midfield so Xhaka, Partey and Ceballos wouldn’t be out of the question.
That said ?we sign both and get our money back on Xhaka.
I don’t think he will play in that position if we sign him and Partey. This is not Arteta’s preferred formation. We will play 4-3-3 which means both can be accommodated with Ceballos playing in the attacking areas of a 3 men midfield.
I think this season has been one long sequence of ‘so, you think this players goose is cooked. Think again!’. Ceballos seemed to be another loan which would give little to us. But since the restart he has been one of our top performers. I agree, his attitude has been a huge plus, especially compared to other players like Gendouzi who have taken themselves out of contention when we needed them most. Ideal world, we would get another year loan with an option to buy for a fixed fee at the end of it. That gives us more time to… Read more »
Well, i like the guy, maybe more so now than when he first arrived. Showed his technical ability with the ball right off the bat, needed and developed the grittiness required to play in the pl, so kudos to him. Quite a few players from foreign leagues in similar situation found it difficult to adapt. I think another 1 year loan deal, with an option to buy at the end makes perfect sense, given our financial situation. Every team needs such technical players. If he can deliver again next season, then buy him by all means….oh, by the way Dani,… Read more »
The guy’s a game player. He reminds me of the Rosicky type of midfielders; technically solid, live-wire, confident, loves to get stuck in, team player.
I’d be very surprised if a guy with those attributes doesn’t have the capacity to get in amongst the goals a bit too. He’s not the quickest but he’s intelligent with space and in practical terms those two things are interchangeable (to a degree of course).
Protagonist – This word made me feel uneasy.
with the greatest respect, i think the club is currently the right level for him and we are at the right level to benefit from having a player like him. hes young and.we are redeveloping so who knows maybe we can grow and improve together.
Good player with a decent ceiling that should allow more improvement if we sign him permanently. However, let’s not get carried away; he’s not a player that we must sign to keep at all cost for us.
Nothing like a Spaniard wearing the number 8 playing under a Spaniard who wore the number 8
I’d be happy with this 25 man squad for next season… Fucked if I know how to get rid of Ozil but…
Leno, Martinez
Bellerin, Soares
Saliba, Holding, Luiz
Mari, Mustafi, Chambers
Tierney, Maitland Niles
Partey, Xhaka, Ceballos
Torreira, Willock, Szoboszlai
Pepe, Nelson
Aubameyang, Lacazette, Nketiah
Saka, Martinelli
Roca would be nice. We need another player to play Xhaka’s role especially if we get EL, and become the long term replacement for him (maybe in 2-3 years).
Also, you forgot ESR.
He likes it here.. Mikel is going to turn him into a star..
Loan for another year with an obligation to buy. I don’t see an issue unless Florentino feels like being a dick to us and prefers to sell him to a club that has the cash NOW. He’s probably in good spirits since they won the league anyway. If Dani pushes for it I’m sure a deal can be done. I think he’s only going to get better, tbh.
Get him signed. He’s quality, and at 23, only going to get better. 20m euros is a bargain these days.
Ceballos ready to compete. Get us players ready to compete & improve like him