Arsenal believe they can keep Real Madrid outcast

Arsenal are confident they will be able to keep Dani Ceballos at the Emirates Stadium next season as Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane plans for life without the midfielder, reports The Daily Mirror. 

Ceballos moved to the Gunners last summer, with Arsenal beating rivals Tottenham to the midfielder's signature. 

The Spain international had been expected to return to Madrid later this summer, with Real Madrid keen to have him back. 

However, it's believed they have changed their tune and Arsenal are now in pole position to keep Ceballos for another season at least. 

Injuries have dented his game time in the capital, where he has made just 10 league starts under both Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta.

Prior to football's suspension due to the Coronavirus pandemic, however, Ceballos had become a key man under Arteta and rightly so, with six of their nine league wins this season coming when the 23-year-old had featured from the off. 

Ceballos has two league assists this season and had tried to cut short his spell in England in January, only to be convinced to remain by Arteta and while Arsenal will face competition from Spain for the player's services, the north London side should be confident of retaining his services.