Arsenal have an eye on Nottingham Forest midfielder Danilo ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Gunners watched the Brazilian midfielder closely when he was plying his trade for Palmeiras. However, they didn’t lodge a bid and he joined Nottingham Forest in an £18 deal from Palmeiras in January 2023.
Danilo, 22, has had a decent Premier League season, registering two goals and an assist in 25 appearances. He has operated in various positions across the midfield for Nottingham Forest, who are battling against relegation.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have reportedly continued to watch the 22-year-old midfielder and are impressed by the progress he has made since arriving at Nottingham Forest. No word on whether the Gunners will bid in the summer or how much Danilo would cost, but it appears the Brazilian is an option in their summer list. The Forest star is also on the radars of Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Danilo tracked by Arsenal
Danilo endured an injury-hit campaign on the other side of Christmas but has been far more impactful recently under the tutelage of Nuno Espirito Santo. With relegation a real prospect for Forest, the Bahia-born midfielder may decide to leave in the summer.
Arsenal have made reinforcing the midfield unit one of their priorities this summer, despite breaking the bank for Declan Rice last year. With Mohamed Elneny, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe and Jorginho’s futures up in the air, the north London side want a player to cover and compete with Rice next season. They are keen on Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz and Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, although the former is expected to stay at Villa Park.
This could see the Gunners shift their focus toward Danilo, who has performed decently for Forest over 15 months. Good passer of the ball and tenacious in the challenge with a great engine, the ex-Palmeiras man may act as a solid foil for Rice. At 22, he still has a lot of room for development and would represent an upgrade on the ageing Jorginho, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
Danilo ticks a lot of boxes that Arsenal are looking for in a midfielder, and regardless of Forest’s status at the end of the season, they must table a bid for his services.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
