Arsenal have reportedly made an attempt to sign Palmeiras midfielder Danilo, who is also courted by league rivals, West Ham United.
According to a report from Brazilian news outlet Esporte R7, Arsenal have expressed interest in Danilo. The Gunners have tabled an offer of around €20 million to secure the services of the Palmeiras midfielder. Mikel Arteta is keen on securing a deal in the January transfer window in an attempt to beef up his options in the middle of the park.
A native of Salvador, Danilo has been a success story at Palmeiras since his move to the club’s youth academy in early 2019. The young midfielder had initially joined the club on a loan deal, but his impressive performances in the youth competitions propelled him to a promotion to the senior side. It also compelled the Brazilian giants to make his move permanent for a fee of just €100,000.
Since then, Danilo has racked up 83 competitive appearances for Palmeiras, notably bagging two Copa Libertadores titles in the space of two years. Aged just 20, the youngster has shown immense ability and has seemingly established himself as one of the best young players in the Brazilian Serie A.
His rapid rise to prominence has not gone unnoticed either, with Arsenal keen on securing his services in the January transfer market. It appears Mikel Arteta has identified the Palmeiras star as an ideal replacement for Thomas Partey. The Ghanaian international is currently unavailable due to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Arsenal have signed quite a few Brazilians in the recent past, including the likes of David Luiz, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli. They have been recently linked with a move for Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes as well, in the club’s attempt to shore up its midfield options.
Danilo, to that end, could be an interesting addition to the team that clearly lacks depth in the middle of the park. But Arsenal are set to face stiff competition from West Ham United in the pursuit of the Palmeiras youngster.
The Hammers have reportedly enquired about the possibility of signing the midfielder, perhaps considering him as a potential alternative for ambitious target Naby Keita. However, the Londoners are yet to follow up with an offer for Danilo.
Either way, it appears unlikely Palmeiras would want to offload their star player in the January transfer window. The midfielder reportedly has a release clause worth around €100 million, giving the Brazilian giants the leverage to keep hold of him until at least the summer transfer window.
