Second Dani Ceballos loan reminds us what we can’t have

The problem with Ceballos is every day that passes, even in the pause, Real Madrid is looking for more money. It’s gone from £25m to £45m in just a couple of months, remarkably. I’ve never seen a guy’s price tag inflate as he sits around.

The problem with his loan is that he’s been hurt and inconsistent. We haven’t gotten a good gauge on if he could be a solution or not, so buying him presents a massive risk in that we just don’t know. That was the point of the loan. Ideally, sure, we’d love to buy him and let him grow into the role, but we need a solution now. Which he may not provide. But he also may.

Arsenal may look to line Dani Ceballos up for another loan

So what’s the answer? A second loan, of course!

Arsenal needs a pivot midfielder, someone who can carry the ball into the attack and make something happen. Dani Ceballos has provided that at times and for that reason, many are in favor of bringing him in on a permanent deal, but as the Gunners can’t afford it, the answer has presented itself as a prolonging of the initial deal. Another year to the loan.

This doesn’t help, though. What happens if he plays well? If he proves himself the player we need him to be? Then we go through the same circus of Real Madrid wanting £50m and, no, wait, £55m. If he performs, Madrid wants him back. If he doesn’t we don’t want or need him.

The same fears that took us when he first arrived on loan. We knew it was only a temporary solution, we knew that keeping him was a situation that would prove impossible. What then does a second loan change? It just reminds us of what we cannot have. It puts off the problem.

Which, I guess isn’t the worst thing. If the problem is fixed, even temporarily, at least we can enjoy that moment of respite. But then we have to go through it all again next summer.