Real Madrid outcast Dani Ceballos could return to the Premier League after Aston Villa took a genuine interest in his services.
Villa are ready to table a €15 million bid for the 26-year-old midfielder, according to Spanish outlet AS.
Despite only recently penning a contract extension at the Santiago Bernabeu, the former Real Betis deep-lying playmaker could leave the capital in the coming months.
Ceballos has failed to make Carlo Ancelotti’s pre-season squad due to a leg injury, spurning perhaps his last opportunity to persuade the manager to reignite his first-team prospects.
His new contract in Madrid runs out in 2027, which puts Los Blancos in a decent bargaining position, with Villa keen to rival Serie A giants AC Milan for the Spaniard.
Villa have reinforced their midfield department with the arrival of Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City. However, Emery is eager to add another piece to his jigsaw.
While Ceballos comes off the back of a disappointing season in Madrid, his familiarity with the Premier League makes him a strong candidate to team up with Tielemans and Douglas Luiz.
During a two-season loan at Arsenal, he showed glimpses of his potential to earn a status as a regular starter during his first year at the Emirates Stadium.
But the wheels fell off the following year, convincing the Gunners against taking up the buyout option as Ceballos moved back to Madrid in 2021, hoping for a fresh start.
Stiff competition for midfield places at the Bernabeu has derailed the Spaniard’s first-team opportunities.
The summer arrivals of Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham threaten to reduce his sparse playing time even further this season.
Villa can offer Ceballos an escape route only two months after his contract renewal with Milan out of the picture after signing Ruben Loftus-Cheek and agreeing a deal for Valencia’s Yunus Musah.
