Arsenal: The Dani Ceballos hype must mean something

Hector Bellerin is the latest Arsenal player to hype up the quality and talent of Dani Ceballos. All this high praise must mean something. Perhaps he is as good as advertised.

When a new player arrives at a team, there is always a natural sense of excitement. The new is inherently intriguing, partly because it is unknown, but primarily due to the opportunities that arise because of it. Nevertheless, expectations are usually tempered in these scenarios, the pressure of a baying fanbase deflected as a result.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Dani Ceballos, the Best Player in the World

Arsenal signed Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos on loan this summer. There was immediate anticipation about what he could in the heart of the Gunners’ midfield. He was superb for the Spain under-23s in the summer’s European Championships and is only available because of two of the best possession central midfielders in world football.

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

In this instance, you might expect comments along the lines of building up his talent but adding caveats about needing to be patient as he adapts to English football. But so far, his new teammates and head coach have not been shy to hugely praise his qualities.

Earlier this week, Joe Willock heralded his ability in training. Unai Emery, meanwhile, was extremely positive about his performance against Burnley lasy weekend. And now, Hector Bellerin has joined in with the fun, perhaps with the most blatant comments of the lot.

When asked about be reunited with his Spanish teammate and what he might bring to Arsenal, Bellerin did not hold back:

"“I think Dani’s one of the best players I’ve seen in my career. I’ve played with him since we were like 18 or 19 years old. We’ve played in the under-21s, we get on really well off the pitch. He’s a great player, I think he’s going to be a great addition to the team and the Premier League is going to be very different to any other league, but he’s shown in training that he’s ready for it. He’s up for it and he’s a player who will go through thick and thin to do the best for his team. He’s got a great heart and he plays for everyone around him. I think he’s a great addition.”"

Obviously, this is just talk and how good Ceballos actually is will be determined by how he performs on the pitch, but the fact that Arsenal are being so bullish about his qualities and how he will impact the team moving forward is surely encouraging. There would not be so much hype surrounding an individual if the people dishing out the hype did not believe they could justify it.

Ceballos was excellent in his home debut against Burnley, a 2-1 win that saw the Spaniard strut through the midfield, dancing his way past opposing defenders with twinkling feet, spinning this way and that as he relentlessly beat the high press. He must now follow this performance consistently, against higher quality opposition, starting this weekend against Liverpool.

But his Arsenal teammates and head coach obviously believe he is capable. And that should not go for nothing.