Dani Ceballos changes mind on Arsenal future on eve of transfer deadline

Dani Ceballos will see out the rest of his season-long loan at Arsenal following suggestions it was to be cut short, the latest reports suggest.

The Spanish international midfielder, on loan from Real Madrid, has struggled for regular opportunities under new Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

With the transfer window open, there have been widespread reports that Ceballos is unhappy with his lack of first-team minutes and would request to be recalled from his parent club and sent elsewhere for the remainder of the season.

But the latest from Spain, via AS, report that he’s set to stay in North London and fight for his place in the team.

The 23-year-old established something of a reputation as a creative maestro from his time with Real Betis and representing Spain’s youth set-up, winning the Under-19 European Championship in 2015 and the Under-21 European Championship last summer.

He’s represented the senior Spanish national team eight times since 2018, but faces a battle to be included in Luis Enrique’s squad for the 2020 Euros.

Having been hampered by injuries in recent months, he didn’t make an appearance for Arsenal until Monday evening’s 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in the FA Cup, coming on for the final 21 minutes.

It was the first time he’s appeared in an Arsenal shirt since early November, in which Unai Emery was still in charge for a 1-1 draw with Vitoria de Guimaraes in the Europa League.

Arteta has stated on the record that Ceballos must earn his place in the Arsenal team, while reports earlier in the month suggested that the player wasn’t happy or convinced that he’d get regular opportunities going forward.

But the latest suggestion is that there have been clear the air talks between Arteta and Ceballos, and the player is now willing to fight for his place for the remainder of the season, with fixtures coming thick and fast between the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League knockouts.

Arsenal, 10th in the Premier League, have been drawn against Olympiakos in the last 32 of the Europa League and away to Portsmouth in the fifth round of the FA Cup.