Aston Villa want to end ex-Arsenal star's Real Madrid MISERY
Tom Weber
- Updated: 14 Sept 2023 15:54 BST
- 3 min read
Unai Emery wants to reunite with Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, according to Spanish media.
The Aston Villa boss has previous with the midfielder, bringing him to the Emirates during his time at Arsenal. Ceballos eventually returned to Madrid, but he has not managed to kick on after his stint in north London.
Indeed, though Ceballos has mostly impressed when he has been given the chances to feature, those chances have been few and far between under Carlo Ancelotti. It was, therefore, unsurprising that many expected the Spaniard to depart the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer in hopes of finding regular minutes elsewhere.
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Things didn't transpire that way, however. Ceballos insisted that he would be ready to fight for his place and instead of leaving, he signed a new deal that, incredibly, runs until 2027.
A hamstring injury has kept him out of action thus far this season, but given the wealth of central midfielders that Madrid have at their disposal, it's hard to see the 27-year-old break into the team anytime soon.
Emery to the rescue?
Step up Unai Emery. According to El Desmarque, the Aston Villa boss already wanted Ceballos in the summer and he has not given up on his pursuit of the midfielder.
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Indeed, the report goes so far as to say that signing Ceballos is one of Emery's "primary objectives for the month of January." The Spanish outlet continues: "The Basque coach is confident that the Spanish international's situation will not improve over the next three months, and that he will continue to be a simple substitute under Carlo Ancelotti."
In fact, "it is most likely that he will have to pack his bags in winter" and Villa have promised him an important role in their squad. According to The Sun, Madrid would want in excess of €15 million for Ceballos.
