Dani Ceballos hopes to play for Real Madrid again after his loan at Arsenal comes to an end, but admits that he has heard nothing from manager Zinedine Zidane since he left the Spanish capital.
The 23-year-old has had a steady season in north London, impressing in patches, but making only 10 Premier League starts for the Gunners.
The Spain international had re-established his place in the first team before the coronavirus hiatus, starting the last three Premier League games before the pause in the season, but with his loan ending in June, his future is uncertain.
Ceballos wants to play for Real Madrid again, where he has a contract until 2023, but has heard nothing at all from his parent club all season.
‘I haven’t spoken to Zidane since I left,’ Ceballos told Movistar. ‘It has to be difficult to have a dressing room with so many players. I don’t think Zidane talks to the loan players.
‘Hopefully [I will play for Real Madrid again]. I now have a contract with Arsenal. At the moment in Madrid it is difficult to play with the players that are there. Now I am focused on being important at a club.’
Reports in Spain from AS state that Real Madrid are not looking to sell the midfielder unless a huge offer of €50m (£43.5m) comes in for him, which looks extremely unlikely to materialise from Arsenal.
However, Ceballos has praised Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who has restored him to the starting line-up since arriving in December, saying he has learned a lot from his compatriot.
‘It is what I think because I identify with his way of playing, although in Arsenal in three months I have learned a lot with Mikel Arteta,’ said Ceballos.
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