‘He’s going to be among the best in the world’: Dani Ceballos impressed by the Arsenal man

Dani Ceballos has become lyrical about Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, telling Sky Sports that he believes he will soon be “among the best in the world.”

Arteta was confirmed as the Gunners’ new permanent head coach just before Christmas last year, with the Spaniard replacing compatriot Unai Emery after the latter was fired by the Emirates Stadium team.

At the time, Arsenal were stuck in a rut, languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table with five meager wins all season amid some poor results, including a draw with Norwich City, which is fighting for the decline.

(Photo by Harriet Lander / Copa / Getty Images)

However, the Gunners finished the season high, winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Europa League, but also looking more revitalized, more dangerous and more solid at the rear with each passing game.

Ceballos, who is reportedly close to joining Arsenal from Real Madrid on another loan (The Guardian), told Sky Sports in an interview published on Tuesday how well he thinks of Arteta.

“I love the way he looks at the game and the things he likes about football,” said Ceballos. “The man is very intelligent for such a young coach. It is as if he had spent a lifetime in football before this one.

“He knows a lot about various aspects of the game and works well tactically. It is also clear that he has spent a lot of time with Pep Guardiola because he has many of the same characteristics as him.

“I think he is a coach who will be among the best in the world in the future.”

TBR view:

Arsenal could hardly have chosen a better head coach than Arteta, a club icon who learned the ropes from the great Pep Guardiola and now has the opportunity to mold a team that has underperformed in recent years in his image.

So far everything is going well, from last season’s achievements and Community Shield’s victory to raise the curtain in 2020-21, to a much stronger team on the field and some very promising players linked to the club.

And if the latest reports are to be believed, Ceballos could soon rejoin the Gunners and add another piece to a very promising-looking puzzle ahead of the new Premier League season.