It must be a quiet week because some media outlets are trying to sell the idea that Arsenal are still keeping an eye on Dani Ceballos.

WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND: Dani Ceballos of Arsenal runs with the ball during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns on January 02, 2021. (Photo by Tim Keeton - Pool/Getty Images)
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND: Dani Ceballos of Arsenal runs with the ball during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns on January 02, 2021. (Photo by Tim Keeton – Pool/Getty Images)

The S*n are running a piece, picked up from El Nacional (no link) that claims Arsenal are keeping an eye on Dani Ceballos “despite rejecting the chance to sign him permanently after a two-year loan spell.”

There are a few problems with this claim.

First up, why?

Ceballos was pretty rubbish during his two years at Arsenal and would add absolutely nothing to the team.

It goes some way to showing how little I rate Ceballos in that I’d rather keep Granit Xhaka, the player Arsenal are supposedly looking cover for.

Ceballos, who boasts a 27% tackle success rate in his two seasons with Arsenal, could also cover for Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny when they jet off to the Africa Cup of Nations. Apparently.

That, however, isn’t the main problem with the S*n’s claims.

Ceballos has been injured since the Olympics and hasn’t played a single minute of football this season. Just what, exactly, are Arsenal keeping an eye on?

Dani Ceballos 10 Spain gets subbed out injured after a foul during the Mens Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020 match between Egypt and Spain at Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, Japan. Egypt v Spain - Sapporo Dome
Dani Ceballos 10 Spain gets subbed out injured after a foul during the Mens Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020 match between Egypt and Spain at Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, Japan. Egypt v Spain – Sapporo Dome

Ceballos suffered a complete tear in his anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ankle ligaments when he was on the end of an horrific tackle during the opening game of the Japan Games against Egypt.

The midfielder was also recently linked with a move to Roma with Jose Mourinho a reported fan. That move would make much more sense, mostly because it’s nowhere near Arsenal.

Ceballos has been determined to make it at Real Madrid, but, despite signing for the club in 2017 from Real Betis, the 25-year-old has made only 56 appearances for his parent club, 19 fewer than he made for Arsenal.

During those 77 games as a Gunner, Ceballos scored a grand total of two goals, with five assists.

He is expected to return to fitness in the next few weeks but it’s unclear what sort of future he has in Spain.

Should Roma put in a decent proposal for him, Ceballos might just fancy some time in Italy.

That being said, expecting a decent offer from an Italian club is a big ask.

I’ll eat my hat if he turns up back at Arsenal, mostly in the hopes that I choke and don’t have to watch him play.