Arsenal faces tough competition for midfield target Danilo as Juventus and Lazio enter the race for the Palmeiras star.
According to Calciomercato, Arsenal are not alone in pursuit of Palmeiras midfielder Danilo, as Italian sides Juventus and Lazio enter the chase for the Brazilian. The Gunners have been linked with the midfielder since January and could make an approach in the summer.
Arsenal are set for another big summer window as Mikel Arteta aims to strengthen his squad. Among those needed are a striker, central midfielder and possibly a wide attacker. How the club decide to spend their money and who they prioritise will be clear in the summer.
The central midfield area may come into focus after the season ends as Arteta will look for solutions in the market. Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka have been solid in their partnership, although there is a feeling the club needs more defensive assurance in the middle of the park.
Palmeiras’ Danilo has been on their radar since the start of January, although Arteta was then looking to bring in a player of a different profile. Juventus’ Arthur Melo was heavily linked in the last window, although both clubs could never agree on terms.
They are also linked with Douglas Luiz and may consider an approach for the Aston Villa ace in the next window. Danilo is very different from those targets considering his age, among other things. The 20-year-old has a bright future ahead and several European clubs are keeping tabs on his situation.
Palmeiras are looking for a fee of €20 million for the defensive midfielder. His performances have helped increase the value after the Brazilian side had demanded a paltry €8 million not long ago. The considerably reasonable fee has attracted the interest of Italian sides, Juventus and Lazio.
Lazio are in the market for a new defensive midfielder to succeed Lucas Leiva. They may also sell Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the summer and will need reinforcements. Danilo’s age and profile make him a good fit, but Lazio may face their toughest challenge from Juventus for the midfielder.
Juventus are looking to refresh their midfield altogether by selling the likes of Arthur and Adrien Rabiot in the summer. They need sufficient reinforcements as well as long-term options, and Danilo has emerged as a viable target. However, with Premier League interest in the midfielder, the Old Lady may find it tough to convince the Brazilian over a move.
Arsenal have a chance to bring Danilo to England by warding off interest from other competitors. The €20 million demand of the Brazilian side should not pose problems for the Gunners, who may look to sign the midfielder in the summer as an option for the immediate and the long-term future.