Soccer Football - Copa Libertadores - Quarter Finals - First Leg - Atletico Mineiro v Palmeiras - Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, Brazil - August 3, 2022 Atletico Mineiro's Mariano in action with Palmeiras' Danilo REUTERS/Washington Alves
Arsenal transfer target Danilo could be an ‘exciting signing’ for the Gunners as his prospective arrival could turn out in a similar way to Gabriel Martinelli’s, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Lowdown: Interest in Danilo
According to a report by the Evening Standard, the Gunners have held a long-term interest in the 21-year-old midfielder.
The north London outfit made fresh enquiries over his availability towards the end of the summer window, but Palmeiras had no interest in sanctioning a move.
As a result, the only way to secure Danilo’s services would have been to activate his staggering £86m release clause – something that Mikel Arteta’s side were obviously unwilling to do.
The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim
With Arsenal having recruited Martinelli from Brazilian club Ituano in 2019, O’Rourke believes that Danilo signing for the Gunners could end up going the same way as it did with his international compatriot.
Speaking with GiveMeSport about whether Danilo could replicate Martinelli’s arrival with a move to the Emirates Stadium, the journalist claimed: “Yeah, I think that’s what Arsenal will be hoping for. They’ve obviously scouted Danilo intensively; they see a real player in him and he has shone in the Brazilian league as well.
“So Arsenal will be hoping that if they can get a deal done for him, he can come and have the same impact as a number of other Brazilian players have had at Arsenal over the years. And if he’s half as good as Martinelli, I think this will be a real exciting signing for Arsenal fans.”
Should Martinelli start for Arsenal?
Yes
No
The Verdict: Great young talent
At just 21 years of age, Danilo has already played 130 senior matches for Palmeiras, including 63 appearances in the Brazilian top flight.
As per WhoScored, the midfielder has averaged 2.1 tackles, one interception and 0.9 clearances per game in Brazil’s Serie A this season, further adding 0.8 key passes per game to his strong defensive attributes.
Given Martinelli’s success in adjusting to football in the Premier League, having scored 10 goals in his first campaign for the club in 2019/20 and another 11 since, the Gunners will be hoping that Danilo can take to the English game in a similar way.
Therefore, the north London club will surely be monitoring Palmeiras to see if they would be more receptive in January over a possible move for the youngster.
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