Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is confident of keeping Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos at the club for the 2019-20 Premier League season.
Ceballos joined the Gunners on a season long loan deal at the start of the current campaign.
Former manager Unai Emery used the Spanish international sparingly, and the 23-year old looked likely to return to Madrid this summer.
However, the arrival of Arteta in December 2019 saw him reinstated in the side, and the former Manchester City coach wants to secure a permanent transfer in the coming weeks.
“I am really happy with him, and he puts passion into every game and training session,” Arteta stated in an interview with The Independent.
“He is evolving, and wants to become an important player for the club.
“We are talking with Real Madrid, as obviously we do not own the player. The two clubs need to communicate, and we will see what we can do.”
Real Madrid are reportedly open to allowing Ceballos to leave this summer, with his first team chances blocked by Federico Valverde, Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos.
But, their current asking price of €40m is rumoured to be just outside Arsenal’s budget for the midfielder, with the Premier League side aiming to bring that price down to closer to €35m.
Ceballos joined Los Blancos in 2018 as part of an €18m deal from boyhood club Real Betis, however he has made just 25 La Liga appearances across two seasons in the Spanish capital.
