Arsenal loan-signing Dani Ceballos mocked size of Iker Casillas’s manhood and wanted bomb dropped on Nou Camp
DANI CEBALLOS is set for a move to Arsenal, and should add much-needed spark to the Gunners' midfield.
But the Spanish playmaker has never been one to make friends in the game, and has caused controversy over the years on social media.
The outspoken Real Madrid star tweeted he wanted a bomb dropped on the Camp Nou to kill "Catalan and Basque dogs" before a match between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, when fans whistled during the national anthem of the 2015 Copa Del Rey final.
Pro-Franco Ceballos, 22, once aimed a dig at international stars Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas for celebrating winning Euro 2012 by draping themselves in the Catalonia colours of the Semeyra flag.
And Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas was also a target, with Ceballos mocking the size of his manhood on Twitter.
However, it wasn't an easy start in football for the No.10 who nearly didn't make it in the game after suffering with chronic bronchitis as a kid.
A YOUTH IN SEVILLA
Born in Seville, Ceballos dreamed of playing for his hometown club and began training with Sevilla when he was just eight.
However, despite starring in their youth set-up, he was released because of a chronic bronchitis problem.
It left him heartbroken, but that setback made Ceballos even more determined. He joined CD Utrera - a fourth division club in Spain and started from scratch.
It wasn't long before Sevilla's bitter rivals Real Betis swooped in 2011, realising the mistake their neighbours had made.
He completed his youth development with Los Verdiblancos, before signing a professional contract in 2014 and made his debut at the tender age of 17.
THE EUROS WERE THE MAKING OF HIM
In 2017, Ceballos came to life at the European Under-21 Championships in Poland.
Despite being named on the bench for Spain's opening match, he would go on to win player of the tournament and lead Spain to the final.
His standout performances alerted the big clubs to his talents, and Barcelona and Real Madrid were soon tussling for his services.
The bargain £13.5m transfer release clause he had in his Betis contract made the deal a no-brainer, and in the end he chose to move to the Bernabeu in 2017.
CONTROVERSY WAS NEVER FAR AWAY
But Ceballos, who dates gorgeous model Maria Sanchez, hasn't always attracted attention for the right reasons.
Put it down to being young and inexperienced, the diminutive maestro has caused uproar on Twitter with some outrageous comments towards international teammates, a Spanish legend and with his political sway.
As Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao's players lined up for the national anthem before the Copa Del Rey final in 2015, both sets of fans at the Camp Nou began to whistle due to their belief in Catalonia and the Basque Country being separate entities to Spain.
That enraged Ceballos, who tweeted at the time: "They should drop a bomb on the stadium and kill all those Catalan and Basque dogs."
Three years before that, Ceballos took umbrage to Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas celebrating winning Euro 2012 by waving the Semeyra flag - a symbol for Catalonia.
He called their act "shameless" adding, "Get out of the country, Catalans! With Franco this never would have happened."
Derogatory comments that have since been removed from his social media about Iker Casillas and his wife Sara Carbonero also surfaced, in which he questioned the size of the Real Madrid legend's manhood, comparing it to the size of a coin and said he would love to "f***" the goalie's TV journalist missus.
WHAT SORT OF PLAYER IS HE?
Arsenal fans fearing the worst having lost Aaron Ramsey in their engine room should be satisfied with their latest acquisition.
Able to play as a No.8 or a No.10, Ceballos boasts close control and the ability to ghost past defenders in the attacking third like they're not there.
In his breakout seasons at Betis in 2015/16 and 2016/17, he completed more dribbles (133) than any other under-21 player in La Liga.
He also knows when to pick a pass and his awareness in finding a teammate in a great goalscoring position is second to none.
However, for a player who likes to play his game in the opposition half, his goal return isn't as good as it should be.
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Last term, he played 34 games in all competitions for Los Blancos, scoring just three times.
But while he won't get as many goals as Ramsey did, there's no doubt he will offer a more creative threat that the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could thrive upon.
Only time will tell though if he'll be a hit when he graces the Emirates at the beginning of the season.
