Arsenal Plotting January Move for Palmeiras Midfielder Danilo, Bid Ready

According to reports in Brazil, Arsenal have ramped up their efforts to sign Palmeiras midfielder Danilo. The Gunners have been monitoring the Brazilian and are looking to make a January move for the midfielder.

The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League table going into the World Cup break. They stand on 37 points after 14 games with a gap of 5 points from second-placed Manchester City. To keep their position intact, Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen his midfield options.

The Spaniard wants to bring in competition for Thomas Partey in the midfield and he sees Danilo as a good fit to do so. Arsenal do have Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga as backup options for Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey. However, they need better alternatives in case a player gets injured for a long period.

Danilo, Palmeiras, Arsenal — Image Obtained Via GOAL

Arsenal are looking to revive their interest in Danilo and complete the signing in January. According to the Brazilian publication Bola VIP (via Football London), Arsenal are closing in on the Palmeiras midfielder, with the Brazilian club considering Walace from Udinese as a potential replacement.

Moreover, The Sun reported that Arsenal are planning to launch a £26 million offer for Danilo after the World Cup concludes next month. The North London side made an attempt to sign the 21-year-old during the final stages of this year’s summer transfer window with a £20m offer.

However, the Brazilian club rejected the bid and the move fell through. The youngster has a €100m (£86.6m) release clause in his contract that runs till 2026. The report claims Palmeiras might be willing to sell the defensive midfielder now once their season is over.

Arsenal serious about signing 21-year-old Palmeiras defensive midfielder Danilo, who has been subject of extensive scouting. Deal considered in August alongside Douglas Luiz but Brazilian club did not entertain mid-season sale. Edu behind interest. #AFC https://t.co/bhNU4PH1Lv

— Ryan Taylor (@RyanTaylorSport) November 2, 2022

The 21-year-old Brazilian has some similarities in his game to that of Thomas Partey. Meanwhile, Xhaka has also entered his 30s and might feel the need to give a break to his legs. This is where the youngster can pop in and provide his energy and calmness to the Arsenal midfield.

The Gunners sit at the top of the league table and are showing no signs of slowing down. This could finally be the year when they qualify for the Champions League and they would not want to risk it because of the lack of good quality depth in the squad. They would also want to prepare for the top-tier European competition next season if they eventually manage to finish on a high note this season.

Why Arsenal Should Bring Danilo To The Emirates Stadium?

Danilo often plays as the deep-lying midfielder for Palmeiras. He is also comfortable while playing as a part of the double pivot which seems to be the preferred formation of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. He also likes to drop in between the centre-backs to receive the ball deeper in a bid to help in ball progression.

The Brazilian midfielder tends to take the safe route when on the ball. However, that does not mean he only makes side passes or back passes. He is also capable of launching some dangerous long balls when he sees the perfect chance to do so. He avoids a long pass when there are lesser chances of the ball being received by his teammate.

While defending, Danilo is a no-nonsense type of player. He likes to get into tackles, although he needs to improve his decision-making about when to engage in a tackle. Nevertheless, his aggressive attribute helps him recover the ball immediately. This can help his team to quickly launch a counter-attack and score at the other end.

He can also carry the ball forward or dribble past a player if the situation asks for it. His left foot allows him to play a few creative passes but he does that only when he is in the attacking half of the pitch.

These are all the perfect characteristics that Arteta could be looking for in a midfielder. However, Danilo still needs more experience in the bigger leagues and will only improve with more game time.

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