Arsenal: 3 reasons to love permanent deal for Dani Ceballos

2. He is versatile

If Ceballos had emerged in senior football a decade ago, he would be considered a creative attacking midfielder. Built in a mould like David Silva or Mesut Ozil, he is a supreme passer, close-controlled dribbler, and drifting space-occupyer.

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But as modern football has developed and the demands of different roles have warped, it is clear that Ceballos’ best position is deeper in the central midfield rotation. As a deep-lying distributor who can carry the ball from deep and spray passes to instigate sharp, direct attacks, he excels in a quarterback-like position, while also adding that verve every now and then.

He is not as defensively sound as other deeper-lying midfielders and his lack of speed can be exploited by opponents at times, but his range of passing, tempo-dictating distribution, and overall control and conducting of the game is vital in the modern game. And because he is so well-rounded, he can play in a variety of positions.

If needed, Ceballos could play as an Ozil-like number 10. He could also sit deep as a Granit Xhaka-like holding player. He can play in a box-to-box number eight role, too, and even play out wide in a flat four if needed, though this is obviously not his most ideal position. Ceballos offers versatility in central midfield that will allow Arteta to structure the central triumvirate — and the crux of his team — in a myriad of different ways. And across a long and arduous season, that is invaluable.