Dani Ceballos says working under Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made him a ‘much better player’.
The midfielder completed a switch back to the Gunners on another season-long loan from Real Madrid.
Ceballos had a mixed start to life at the Emirates last term, missing almost two months of action through injury under Unai Emery and then struggling for a place in Arteta’s side when the coach arrived in December.
However, the Spaniard proved to be one of Arsenal’s most dependable players after the restart in June, helping fire the north London club to their record 14th FA Cup victory.
Ceballos admits former Manchester City assistant coach Arteta has had a big impact on his development.
‘To be honest, it wasn’t easy for him [Arteta] because he was coming into a dressing room that had already had two other coaches and where the team hadn’t been able to get the results that everyone wanted,’ Ceballos told Arsenal Digital.
‘It wasn’t easy for me to get into the team either because I was coming off the back of a long injury lay-off. I felt like I should be playing but I was wrong about that because I wasn’t fit.
‘The coach was really straight with me and said that if I got myself fit and kept working hard, I’d have a chance of getting back into the team.
‘I ended up performing well and repaying the faith he’d shown in me before the Newcastle game.
‘From that moment onwards, we started to build a good coach/player bond and things went well for me personally.
‘I think he’s made me a much better player in the last six months.’
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