Arsenal Transfers: Grading all 6 summer purchases

5. Dani Ceballos — A

I love, love, love Dani Ceballos already, and I have yet to see him touch the pitch in a competitive feature for Arsenal. He is so incredibly talented and possesses all those features that we loved in Santi Cazorla, only he’s so young and has the ability to provide what Cazorla did for a decade.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

It became a bit of a neglected spot on the team when Cazorla left, but having someone who can play a creative role, either in a creative, central job or from a deep midfield spot while not losing out on defensive work rate and driving from deep… that’s invaluable. Ceballos showcased that ability in the preseason and has be beyond excited to see what he can do this year.

So excited, that when people tell me he’s going to replace Granit Xhaka, I don’t even get mad. Just irritated. Because honestly I spent so long begging for Isco to come to the Emirates that Ceballos is the next best thing.

The only reason he didn’t get an A+ is because we don’t have the option to buy. We have a “gentleman’s agreement,” but that doesn’t fill me with too many warm and fuzzies. If Ceballos tears it up, Real Madrid can just take him back and I really hate the idea of that.

Next up, our third of six moves.