Manchester United have reportedly expressed their interest in signing Botafogo star Danilo Santos, as per BBC Sport.
After joining Nottingham Forest from Brazilian giants Palmeiras in January 2023, the 25-year-old struggled to find his feet in the Premier League.
So, he returned to Brazil and joined Botafogo last year. The midfielder showed glimpses of his qualities last term but has taken his game to another level this year.
In 21 appearances across all competitions, Danilo has scored nine goals and registered two assists. After proving his worth at Estadio Nilton Santos, he secured his place in Brazil’s World Cup squad. However, he remained on the periphery, failing to start any game.
Now, BBC Sport report that Danilo is considering taking the next step in his career, with Palmeiras and Zenit St Petersburg already launching a £25m proposal to secure his services.
However, Man Utd and Newcastle United are also interested in him after being impressed by his recent eye-catching performances.
With the player’s existing deal set to run until 2029, Botafogo are in a strong position to demand a big fee to sell the South American, valued at around £27m by Transfermarkt.
Danilo to Man Utd
Following Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee injury, Man Utd have reinforced the engine room by purchasing Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans this summer.
So, United currently have the duo plus Kobbie Mainoo as the option to deploy in the deeper midfield positions. Mason Mount can provide cover in this area if needed, although he is a creative midfielder by trait.
However, he has had numerous fitness problems since joining from Chelsea. After qualifying for next season’s Champions League, Man Utd will have to face a grueling fixture schedule.
So, they need proper squad depth to achieve success in every competition. But BBC Sport claim that Man Utd might opt not to sign a third midfielder this summer.
Danilo is a left-footed box-to-box midfielder by trait but is also efficient in the defensive midfield position. He is a talented player and is currently at the prime stage of his career.
It is going to be interesting to see whether the Old Trafford club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services during this offseason.
