Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has denied reports that the club have held talks to buy midfielder Dani Ceballos permanently from Real Madrid.
The Spaniard is on as season-long loan deal at the Gunners from Real Madrid but did not play for three months and only recently returned after sustaining a hamstring injury against Vitoria Guimaraes in the Europa League in November.
The 23-year-old has started just 12 matches across all competitions for the North London club this season but the exit of Unai Emery as boss does not seem to have changed his first-team opportunities, with Mikel Arteta calling on him in recent weeks.
Arteta told reporters on Thursday that there ‘has not been a conversation’ for the deal to be made permanent.
The midfielder confirmed last month that he always intended to remain at the North London club for the remainder of his loan spell despite reports in January that he would return to La Liga, with Valencia said to be keen.
“I decided to remain at Arsenal because they showed trust in me before,” Ceballos explained to Marca.
“Arsenal fans have a song about me, it makes me feel loved and I want to repay that.”
Real Betis – the former club of Ceballos – are also said to have made a tentative enquiry of the player, who looks set to return to Madrid this summer.
