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What's the story?
According to Marca, Arsenal are closing in on the loan signing of Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid.
The Spanish publication revealed that the deal will not involve a purchase option and Arsenal are awaiting Real Madrid's final answer, having already submitted an offer.
In case you didn't know...
The Spanish midfielder is highly rated by Zinadine Zidane and although Real Madrid would not be opposed to a loan deal, they have no intention of parting with Ceballos permanently.
After a stellar campaign with the Spanish U-21 side, where he played a starring role as Spain went on to win the European U-21 Championship, Ceballos has attracted interest from across the continent.
Clubs from Italy and Spain were rumoured to be in the running but the Spaniard supposedly has his heart set on a move to the Premier League.
Spurs were believed to be front-runners for his signature but in recent hours, Arsenal seem to have stolen the march as they impatiently await Real Madrid's response.
The heart of the matter
Marca have exclusively revealed that a move to Arsenal interests Ceballos, with Unai Emery being the driving force behind luring the Spaniard to the Emirates.
The 21-year-old is excited by the prospect of playing in the Premier League and according to recent reports, he is also a big fan of the idea of living in London.
Arsenal are in advanced negotiations with Real Madrid, in the hope of concluding a deal at the earliest. Terms have been agreed with Ceballos and his entourage, the only thing missing is Real Madrid's official answer to their offer.
Arsenal will pay 100% of Ceballos' wages, believed to be around €3 million a year and the deal will not include a purchase option.
What's next?
After weeks of speculation and interest from across Europe, Dani Ceballos is expected to join Arsenal on a season-long loan deal. Having struggled for minutes in recent seasons, the Spaniard looks to have finally secured a move away from Real Madrid in search of regular game time.
Aaron Ramsey departed on a free-transfer to Juve at the end of last season and with Ceballos' addition, Arsenal have added some much needed quality in the center of the park.
