He saw Mikel Arteta’s vision before most, then he left Arsenal to become one of Europe’s best

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Arsenal have seen many top players come and go from the Emirates, with some leaving more of a mark than others.

From Thierry Henry to Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal fans have been treated to some top-class talent over the years.

Now, Mikel Arteta is building his own squad of superstars, with Bukayo Saka tipped to win the Ballon d’Or one day.

While names like the three above are easy to locate from a list as some of Arsenal’s best, others have snuck away from the Emirates to become even better – enter Dani Ceballos.

• READ MORE: Five of the last loan players Arsenal did not buy

Dani Ceballos is one of Europe’s best after leaving Arsenal

Arsenal signed Ceballos on loan in 2019 and then again in 2020, seeing the Spaniard spend two years in North London.

The attacking midfielder didn’t exactly wow those at the Emirates but equally, he didn’t do a lot wrong, with the consensus being that he simply wasn’t cut out for Premier League football.

During his time in England, Ian Wright urged Arteta to stay away from Ceballos after the Arsenal manager recruited the Real Madrid outsider for his second consecutive season in N5.

After two years, 77 appearances, two goals and five assists, Ceballos returned to Real Madrid and has since won two Champions League titles and two La Liga medals.

It’s not only as a collective that the Spaniard has shone in Madrid, as despite being very much part of the backroom staff behind Carlo Ancelotti’s star XI, the 28-year-old has proven that he has a lot to offer.

As seen in the table above, Ceballos is one of the top-performing players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, proving that sometimes, the grass is greener after life at Arsenal.

Ceballos predicted Arsenal’s resurgence under Mikel Arteta

Some loved Ceballos’ impact at Arsenal, as the midfielder won the 2020 FA Cup to remember his time in England.

As well as winning silverware, the former loanee bore witness to Arteta’s early days at the club, predicting the levels the Gunners would reach.

“Everybody can see what Arteta is doing at the club,” Ceballos said upon returning for a second loan stint.

“He’s only been here for eight months. There were three competitions we could fight for. We got knocked out of the Europa League, unfairly in my view, but then we won the FA Cup and the Community Shield, which were well-deserved titles.”

The Spaniard then applauded the impact Arteta had behind the scenes, something the boss has been praised for many times.

“More than that, though, it’s about what he’s created here – there’s real positive energy in the dressing room, the players are happy and everyone is doing their bit. We’re bringing through young players, which I think is really important for this club because it’s something that’s always been done here.

“Mikel is the right person to get this club back to where it deserves to be, which I believe is in the Champions League, competing against the best teams in Europe.”

Ceballos realised years ago that Arteta would make a sizeable impact as Arsenal boss, with both the coach and his former player progressing significantly since their paths crossed.