ARSENAL have no option to buy Dani Ceballos when his second loan stint expires, according to reports.
Spanish outlet Diario Madridista claim Real Madrid refused to include the clause as they see the Spaniard’s long-term future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
It comes with the midfielder understood to be on the verge of returning to Arsenal for a second successive season on loan.
The report adds that Ceballos is desperate to be playing regular first-team football ahead of next summer’s European Championships.
The 24-year-old spent 2019-20 with the Gunners and departed in style after the FA Cup triumph.
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He made a lasting impression on Arsenal fans, making 37 appearances in all competitions and scoring twice, and looked particularly sharp after the restart.
Ceballos has been training with parent club Madrid but is expected to finalise a return to north London this week.
Reports in Spain had linked Ceballos with a move back to former club Real Betis this summer.
Yet Mikel Arteta has spoken openly on his compatriot’s future and made no secret of his desire to bring him back.
He said last week: “Well, we have had some talks and Dani knows really well what I think about him.
“He was pretty clear with me as well that his intention was to remain with us, but obviously Real Madrid is involved and I don’t know yet what they want to do with the player.
“But he’s a player that we are interested in because we really saw, in the last few months of the season, what he is capable of bringing to us.”
Ceballos is set to become Arsenal’s fifth signing of the summer following permanent deals for Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari.
The Gunners also landed Willian on a free transfer from rivals Chelsea and completed the £27million capture of defender Gabriel Magalhaes.
At the back, Arteta has been boosted by the arrival of William Saliba who spent last season out on loan, while David Luiz signed a new one-year deal.
