Aston Villa are reportedly still on the tail of Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, as Unai Emery eyes another reunion with one of his former players this summer.
The Spaniard has already rekindled his relationship with Pau Torres, whom he acquired from his previous club Villarreal earlier in the window, with his sights reported to be set on Ceballos.
What’s the latest on Dani Ceballos to Aston Villa?
As reported in Spain by news outlet Sport, Villa are ‘preparing’ an offer for the Spaniard, who has been linked with a move to the Midlands since the January window.
It’s speculated that Emery will offer Madrid a figure in the region of €15m (£13m) for the playmaker, despite him penning a new deal with Los Blancos in June.
Sport adds that the Spaniard will hope to lure his former player to Villa Park, with the move more likely following Madrid’s big-money signing of Jude Bellingham plus the fact that game time is not going to be easy to grasp.
How good is Dani Ceballos?
The 27-year-old is a player well known not just by Emery, but by the Premier League too, following his consecutive loan spells at Arsenal.
Having been hailed as a “little genius” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the central midfielder has shown that he can perform in England at the top level, making him a potentially strong addition to the manager’s set-up in the Midlands.
While the Utrera-born gem has taken up a more sporadic role at the Bernabeu, his inconsistent game time hasn’t derailed his level of performance, as highlighted through his numbers.
As per FBref, Ceballos maintained an average pass completion rate of 90.6%, as well as recording a monstrous 11.74 progressive passes per 90 in LaLiga.
To put such numbers into perspective, Villa’s main creator last term Emiliano Buendia averaged 5.15 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League, suggesting just how significant an impact the Spaniard could have at Villa Park.
One player that could benefit from the potential presence of the former Gunner in the squad is new arrival Moussa Diaby, who could take his performances to further heights with an outlet as competent as the Madrid whiz.
As highlighted by FBref, the 27-year-old averaged 1.73 key passes and 1/04 passes into the penalty area per 90 for los blancos last season, showcasing areas that could be of use to the winger.
Once lauded as “dangerous” by former Bundesliga striker Nils Petersen, Diaby could cause havoc if equipped alongside a player as creative in his approach to the final third as Ceballos.
Based on his averages obtained last season in the German top-flight, the Frenchman could frequently be a target for the former Arsenal man to aim for in his progressive exploits, with the 24-year-old receiving an average of 8.60 progressive passes per 90.
Villa’s £51.9m forward needs little chance to score, as suggested by his 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last campaign for Leverkusen, however, Emery could unearth a deadly combination by fuelling the playmaking strengths of his former player with the lethal ability of Diaby.