Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants the club to permanently sign Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid, according to reports. Both players are currently on loan at the Emirates Stadium. However, the Gunners may have their work cut out if they attempt to land the duo when the transfer window reopens at the end of the campaign.
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And Real, when it comes to Ceballos, are happy to do business.
He’s currently not in Zinedine Zidane’s plans, even though the Frenchman is looking increasingly likely to leave at the end of the season.
But, having allowed the 24-year-old to spend the last two years playing his football away from the Bernabeu, it seems Real will agree to an exit this summer.
With Odegaard, though, things seem different.
It’s claimed Real still believe the playmaker ‘can be one of the pillars of the future’.
But they may need Zidane to go in order to keep hold of Odegaard, who has made it clear he won’t return if the Frenchman stays in charge.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal star Martin Keown has admitted he’s got reservations over Odegaard following the club’s 1-1 draw with Benfica on Thursday night.
The 54-year-old told BT Sport: "A lot of the problems for the Arsenal team is finding that spare player.
"It's been Smith Rowe in the recent run. Odegaard has been given the luxury of playing in there.
"We're still waiting to see, I think there's a player under there but he's not played much football for Real Madrid, maybe seven or eight games this season, maybe a bit short of fitness.