According to Antonio Vitiello, Dani Ceballos is a player that AC Milan are monitoring. The Rossoneri are aiming to improve their squad, with both talent and depth, with their first Champions League appearance in nearly an entire decade coming up. Vitiello also mentions that Milan’s relationship with Real Madrid is very strong, increasing the possibility of this deal should Milan pursue it.
Dani Ceballos is a Transfer Target for AC Milan
The Spaniard’s Past
Ceballos spent last season on loan at Arsenal. As the case for most Arsenal players, it was a tough season. Ceballos was in and out of the starting line-up, which certainly slowed down his production.
In 25 Premier League appearances, Ceballos generated three assists. In 12 Europa League appearances, he generated no goals and no assists. On a surface level, this may not seem great, but as a midfielder, he’s not prone to stacking up statistics. Ceballos remains a steady presence on the ball.
Ceballos also spent the season before last at Arsenal. He played well, and Arsenal showed interest in a permanent deal. That eventually did not happen, but Ceballos convinced the team enough to be brought back on loan again.
Before his Arsenal spells, Ceballos joined Real Madrid from Real Betis in 2017. He generally played well, but the Los Blancos midfield was too deep for Ceballos to see time on the pitch. He also has 11 senior appearances for Spain.
At 24-years-old, the best is still yet to come for the Spaniard.
The Milan Midfield
Manager Stefano Pioli uses two central midfielders in his 4-2-3-1 formation. The two spaces are locked up by Franck Kessie and Ismael Bennacer. Kessie is time and time again Milan’s most consistent player, while Bennacer is blossoming into a star. Bennacer missed a lot of time last season due to injury, but his absence more than proved his worth.
The challenge Milan faces with these two midfielders is that they’ll be gone from the team during the African Cup of Nations in January 2022. That’s going to be a crucial month for Milan in all competitions, so they must address their depth concern right now.
Their other permanent midfield option is Rade Krunic. The Bosnian is a decent utility player, but not the player that will be consistently starting. Milan also have Sandro Tonali, who’s one of the most promising Italian youngsters in football, but must trigger their option to buy this summer.
Tonali can be relied upon as a starter, but Milan need more. Ceballos brings top-level experience in both the Premier League and La Liga, but also plenty of talent. If a loan is a deal Milan would want to pursue, it’d be wise for the club but also Real Madrid to see their player receive important minutes in Serie A and the Champions League.
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