Arsenal ready to meet £45m asking price for major Tottenham target

Arsenal are reportedly ready to hijack Tottenham’s move for Dani Ceballos by meeting Real Madrid’s £45million asking price for the Spain star.

The playmaker is expected to quit the Bernabeu this summer, as Madrid look to balance the books, after so far splashing out almost £300m on Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic and Eder Militao.

Ceballos, who has also been linked with Liverpool and AC Milan, is currently on international duty with Spain’s Under-21s and has scored twice at the European Championships in Italy as his side have reached the semi-finals.

According to AS, Spurs have shown a firm interest in signing the attacking midfielder and have already held talks with Madrid.

However, the report goes on to add that the Gunners are more willing to meet Madrid’s €50m (£45m) asking price – which could see the playmaker snub Tottenham and move to the Emirates.

Real Madrid president Florentio Perez is known to be a big fan of the 22-year-old and is expected to insert a buy-back option in any deal that sees Ceballos leave the club this summer.

However, it is reported that Unai Emery only has a £45m budget to work with this summer and that would all be blown on one player, when it is clear that the Gunners have other areas of their side that need more urgent attention.

But should Arsenal move for Ceballos then it is expected that Mesut Ozil could be sold to generate more funds, with a new centre-back and left-back the main areas of concern for Emery.

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