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Ones to Watch - Betis & Spain starlet Dani Ceballos

Down at the Benito Villamarín stadium they have always valued the art of playing good football, not just winning football matches but doing so with a certain swagger and style. While the summer might have generated more headlines for the signings they made: Rafael Van der Vaart and later the return of the hometown boy Joaquin, there’s someone else who down there who is causing quite the stir.

Dani Ceballos was one of the golden boys for Spain’s U19 European Championship triumph. While most of the individual accolades went to Marco Asensio for his goalscoring exploits, there’s no doubt Ceballos was the heartbeat of that Spain side. Those who had perhaps been following his career prior to the tournament won’t have been surprised, but those seeing him for the first time witnessed a boy on the verge of becoming a superstar.

It could have all been so different for Dani. Despite being a massive favourite at Betis he was actually on the books of Sevilla as a child. He joined their academy at the age of eight and spent five years at his city rivals before he was unceremoniously released as he suffers from chronic bronchitis. He returned to play for local side CD Utrera before Real Betis signed him in 2011.

“When I was young I had offers from Sevilla and Betis. [After they released me] Sevilla asked me to come back but I rejected them and stayed with Utrera. I had been there [Sevilla] for a few years and I preferred not to go back.” Clearly upset at how his situation was handled and despite the offer of a big team in La Liga, it was a gamble to dismiss the interest of Sevilla.

However it was a gamble that paid off for the youngster. “When Jesús Sánchez asked me to go to Betis I didn’t have any doubts. I’m Bético since I was a child but I was unlucky enough to play for Sevilla.” What better way to endear yourself to your new club by declaring your love for them while rejecting their fierce city rivals? Immediately the Betis fans took him to heart.

He made his debut for the first team when he was just 17 - without ever representing the ‘B’ side - as he came on a late substitute against Real Sociedad in April, 2014. Real Betis were relegated from La Liga that year but in La Segunda División he established himself in the starting XI. The 30,000+ fans that filled the stadium week in, week out knew this kid was going to be special.

For one so young he’s also so complete. Ceballos has wonderful technical ability and like all great players, manages to find a yard of space when it appears impossible to do so. He also has unbelievably quick feet, comfortable being forced onto his left or right, as he exudes confidence beyond his years. There’s a distinct lack of fear to his play which makes him unpredictable for his marker, or markers. Some of the biggest prospects in Europe were chasing his shadow in Greece as he glided away from challenge after challenge.

Sometimes those with great technical ability tend to try and do too much, thinking they are invincible but that isn’t the case with Dani. While he dances away from his pursuers he is also blessed with incredible vision and range when it comes to his passing. He can play a 35-40 yard ball out to the opposite flank or slide a reverse pass into the striker’s path after spotting his run. His ability on the ball draws more attention from opposition players which in turn frees up more pockets of space for his teammates to run into.

It was no surprise to see speculation surrounding his future this summer with a rumoured bid from Real Madrid, especially as he’s still yet to sign a contract extension. Talks were ongoing all summer but no agreement was reached. After appearing this season his release clause went up from €3m to €12m due to stipulations in his previous deal but that hasn’t put off potential suitors, even more so when his current deal expires next summer.

Real Betis themselves are concerned as to the motives behind Ceballos not putting pen to paper. There are a few people who believe young Dani already has an agreement with another club and is set to join them on a free once this season is over. There are obstacles for both sides however.

If the impasse is for economical reasons, the club can’t go any higher – there’s a strict wage limit Betis won’t pass. The offer they’ve made him would put him in that top bracket of earners. If he refuses to sign a new deal there are also issues at hand. The club won’t consider the option of having him sit in the stands as he’s a key member of the squad, one they’ll need if they hope to retain their place in La Liga. There’s a law in Spain which protects youngsters leaving on a free to fellow Spanish clubs. Betis could demand compensation and in turn would automatically add an extra year to the player’s contract as long as the deal on offer has at least a 7% pay rise, which it does. If this happened then Ceballos could only join a side outside of Spain and wouldn’t be able to return to the Spanish league for two years.

The intention of everyone involved is to not let this situation become messy. Betis are hopeful of reaching an agreement with the player this week to draw a line under it. There rumours remain regarding interest on the part of Real Madrid but if this were the case and the player continued to delay signing a new deal, the option of blocking a move to another Spanish club might be the preferred choice. Of course, there is nothing to stop teams bidding for his services in January either.

From a personal point of view I’d rather the player stayed at Betis for another year or two, getting regular football under his belt at a club which has given him the opportunity to reach the top. His international ambitions haven’t been harmed either as he’s recently been promoted to the Spain U21s and, after Euro 2016, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him pushing for a spot in the senior squad either.

Stick or twist, Dani?