Manchester United and Arsenal have reportedly made contact to sign Botafogo midfielder Danilo Santos, as per Brazilian outlet O Dia.
After joining Nottingham Forest from Palmeiras back in 2023, the 25-year-old struggled to find his feet in the Premier League. So, the Tricky Trees decided to sell him to Botafogo last year.
Upon moving to Estadio Nilton Santos, the Brazilian initially took time to settle into his new surroundings before showcasing his productivity this year.
In 21 appearances across all competitions, Danilo has scored nine goals and registered two assists. After being impressed by his performances, Carlo Ancelotti selected him for the Brazil World Cup squad.
However, he struggled to break into the starting line-up, featuring only 43 minutes across five matches. Despite his recent struggles in the World Cup, it appears he isn’t short of potential suitors at the moment.
While citing and translating the print version of O Dia, Sport Witness report that Arsenal and Man Utd are interested in him and have positioned themselves around the player in recent months to seal the deal.
The Gunners have already held talks with the player’s representatives to persuade him to join. On the other hand, Man Utd have opened discussions with Botafogo to trump Mikel Arteta’s side in this race. Moreover, Palmeiras are looking to bring him back.
Battle
The report claim that Botafogo were hoping to raise around £34m from the player’s departure had he managed to shine in the World Cup. But they may now have to let him leave for less than that.
Danilo is a technically gifted left-footed versatile midfielder, as he is comfortable in the box-to-box and CDM roles. He is dynamic, technically sound, can play threading passes between the lines, and is efficient in defensive contributions.
Following Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee injury, Man Utd are prioritising revamping the midfield department. They have agreed on a deal in principle with Chelsea to sign Andrey Santos.
Moreover, they have reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign Ederson, but he still has to pass the medical before the deal gets done.
On the other hand, Arsenal are seemingly planning to purchase a new midfielder as Christian Norgaard struggled to find regular game time last campaign.
Danilo is a talented player and is currently at the prime stage of his career. So, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal or Man Utd should either club eventually manage to secure his services.
Other News
