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Dani Ceballos has qualities Arsenal need, says Unai Emery

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Dani Ceballos poses during a photoshoot at London Colney
Image: Dani Ceballos could make his Arsenal debut at Newcastle on Super Sunday

Unai Emery has talked up the mentality of summer signing Dani Ceballos as he hopes to hand the Real Madrid loanee his Arsenal debut at Newcastle, live on Sky Sports on Sunday.

Arsenal make the trip to the North East for the opening game of the Premier League season, with a host of their summer signings struggling to be fit.

Ceballos, who signed on a season-long loan from Madrid, could be in line to make his competitive bow but it depends if the midfielder is completely recovered after taking a heavy kick to his ankle in a pre-season defeat to Barcelona last weekend.

"Ceballos' mind is very strong," Emery said of the six-cap Spain international.

Dani Ceballos
Image: Ceballos joined Real Madrid from Real Betis in the summer of 2017

"His mentality. Last Sunday, when he received a big kick on his ankle I thought 'oh, it's broken'.

"But after, on Monday, he was training - (he said) 'I'm fine and want to train'. He is showing us every day his ambition, his hunger is big. I think we need players like this."

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Arsenal manager Unai Emery says he will assess the fitness of forwards Nicholas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette ahead of their trip to Newcastle on Sunday, but reveals Pepe could make his debut for the club

Emery guided Arsenal to fifth in his first season at the helm, missing out on the top four by a single point as they also lost the Europa League final to rivals Chelsea.

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But as well as Ceballos, the club have signed David Luiz, Nicolas Pepe, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba.

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Arsenal brought in five players this summer and manager Unai Emery says he is 'very excited' to work with and improve both his new signings and youngsters

While Saliba will remain at St Etienne on a season-long loan, the rest will be hoping to have an impact over the course of the season and Emery believes this is more "his" team than the one he inherited a year ago.

"We are very happy and we are delighted with what the club did (in the transfer window)," he said.

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"Also (head of football) Raul Sanllehi and (director of football) Edu were working together to find the best solutions, being competitive in the moment we can sign another player and also using the club to support us economically to do that.

"And really, really now we are going to fight strong with a big responsibility with this squad and after that we want to continue doing well."

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