Dani Ceballos Has No Future at Real Madrid While Zinedine Zidane Remains in Charge

Zinedine Zidane has no interest in retaining the services of Dani Ceballos once the Spaniard returns from his loan spell at Arsenal, it has been reported.

Ceballos joined the Gunners on a one-year loan deal last summer and has struggled to impress in north London amid a season of dysfunction for the club.

The 23-year-old has appeared 26 times for Arsenal in all competitions this term, scoring just once and registering two assists.

Thus, it's no surprise Zidane is yet to have a change of heart regarding Ceballos. Marca reports the Spaniard will have to leave Madrid this summer unless the French boss departs at the end of the season.

Ceballos is keen to prove himself in the Spanish capital and establish himself as an important asset in the side, but that simply won't happen if Zidane remains in charge.

Los Blancos are making contingency plans for the Spaniard, whose moves away from the club last summer had been scuppered by problems with agents. However, finding a buyer for Ceballos won't be too much of a problem for Florentino Perez and co as the player has a good reputation across Europe.

Ceballos rose to prominence following a standout campaign in Spain's victory at the Under-21 European Championships in Italy last summer. Both Tottenham and Arsenal were interested in acquiring the midfielder on loan following the tournament, with the latter eventually winning the race.

And while it seems unlikely for the Gunners to secure Ceballos on a permanent basis, it's understood Valencia remain keen on signing the former Betis man after unsuccessfully trying to bring him to the Mestalla in January.

For now, though, Ceballos' focus firmly remains on Arsenal as the Gunners go about attempting to recover from back-to-back defeats following the Premier League's long-awaited return to action.

The 23-year-old had previously signed a short-term extension at the Emirates which will keep him in north London until the end of the season.