Arsenal: Dani Ceballos can still shine, if Mikel Arteta lets him

Dani Ceballos made his first appearance under Mikel Arteta on Monday night. In a brief 20 minutes, he immediately displayed his talent. The on-loan Arsenal midfielder can still shine, if he is given the opportunity to.

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Dani Ceballos made his first appearance under Arsenal head coach  Mikel Arteta on Monday night. After struggling with a hamstring injury that he suffered in December, the midfielder had not been available throughout Arteta’s tenure until this week.

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Amid reports that the on-loan Real Madrid star was considering a departure from north London as he looks for more playing time to earn a role in Spain’s national team squad before the summer’s European Championships, Arteta was asked what his compatriot must do to reclaim a starting role at the club.

His response was somewhat curt, to say the least:

“He needs to get back to fitness and fight for his place like any other team. After that we will make the selection that I think is fair with what I see on the pitch.”

It was a challenge to Ceballos. Arteta, who has said to all of his players that they would be given a clean slate to prove themselves, was simply echoing that same message with the 23-year-old. ‘You must prove that you are worth playing before I will play you’, is the very clear message from the Arsenal head coach.

But in his 21-minute cameo against Bournemouth, introduced for Nicolas Pepe midway through the second half, Ceballos displayed his ability to provide creative moments that few others in the squad can replicate.