Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing 27-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos and double his wages.
According to a report from Defensa Central, Aston Villa are ready to double the wages of Dani Ceballos in order to tempt him into joining the club in January. The 27-year-old currently pockets €4 million per year at Real Madrid.
Ceballos has not been able to hold down a regular starting spot at Real Madrid, and he needs to leave the club in order to play more often. A move to Aston Villa could be ideal for him as he looks to resurrect his career.
The midfielder has played in the Premier League before with Arsenal and worked with Unai Emery during his time at the North London club. The opportunity to reunite with the Spanish manager could be an attractive proposition for the player.
Emery rates the 27-year-old highly and is likely to give him regular opportunities at the West Midlands club. Interestingly, the Spaniard snubbed Aston Villa to sign a new contract with Real Madrid this past summer.
Joining Aston Villa on loan during the second half of the campaign could be ideal for the player. If he manages to impress in the Premier League and settle into his new club, Villa could look to sign him permanently next summer.
Aston Villa are hoping to put together a formidable squad capable of challenging for domestic trophies and pushing for Champions League qualification. They have already signed a number of talented players in recent months, and the arrival of Ceballos could take them to another level.
It will be interesting to see if Real Madrid are prepared to sanction the midfielder’s departure in January. They already have a number of quality central players at their disposal, and Ceballos is unlikely to play a key role for them during the second half of the season.
Real Madrid should look to secure a substantial loan fee for the midfielder, and the move would allow them to get the player’s wages off their books as well. The deal could be beneficial for all parties involved. He currently pockets €4 million, and Villa are ready to hand him an €8 million-a-year deal.
Ceballos is 27 years old, and he needs to play regularly during the peak years of his career. The player needs to move away from Real Madrid if they cannot guarantee him regular first-team action in the coming months.