Emery: “Ceballos is doing great, but it’s too soon for talk of a permanent deal”

Dani Ceballos has become a regular for Spain and has already amassed 610 minutes of game-time for Arsenal in the current campaign, compared to 514 minutes at this point last season. Ceballos left with the intention of playing 40 games and being a regular for the London club. Reports from El Desmarque, a Seville based paper, suggested that Ceballos had already reached out to Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, in a bid to ask him for a permanently transfer to Arsenal. Emery was asked about this in his latest press conference:

“I think it is too soon to say. Ceballos is doing great things here, he is playing regularly. Of course I know he has a lot of potential and I think this is just the start for him. We need to recognize that all players need time to adapt to the Premier League. He’s in that process and I really want to accelerate it,” Emery commented.

Emery’s words shed some more light on why Ceballos has been in and out of the starting line-up at the Premier League level. “He had some good games, sometimes it’s not been easy for him. I think that’s normal. But again, I think it is too early to talk about incorporating him in different conditions,” the manager stated.

Despite mentioning there was room for improvement and adaption, Emery was emphatic about Ceballos overall potential, “the ultimate goal for me with Ceballos is that he can bring us all his potential and help us to achieve all our goals as a team, with more positive performances. We are more than happy to count on him”.

Publications in England have suggested that Ceballos could be available for as little as €35 million. Time will tell if Ceballos truly desires to succeed at Real Madrid or if regular playing time and life in London has morphed his goals.