Updated: 6 Jun 2026 19:42 BST |
5 min read
Botafogo midfielder Danilo has outlined why European giants like Manchester United would be well-advised to sign him this summer.
The 25-year-old has been in the headlines a lot in his native Brazil in recent weeks. Danilo has enjoyed a brilliant 12 months at Botafogo after returning to his home country off the back of a disappointing spell at Nottingham Forest.
His form has earned him a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad, at the expense of other elite options such as incoming Man Utd signing Ederson, and he feels that he is ready for another shot at European football this summer.
In order not to jeopardise his World Cup and transfer hopes, the midfielder recently withdrew from selection for a Botafogo match at the last minute. He had been nursing a minor ankle problem and didn’t want to take any chances, but his decision did not go down well.
It is possible that the Selecao star has already played his final game for Botafogo, who will likely need to sell this summer in order to fix the financial mess left behind by ousted owner John Textor. The Brazilian side hope that a good World Cup will convince suitors to pay €40 million for Danilo.
Danilo: I make everything easier for my teammates
The likes of Arsenal and Man Utd have been associated with the Brazilian in recent weeks, with the latter in particular said to have thoroughly explored a potential move already. The Red Devils, of course, are planning to sign more midfielders after wrapping up a deal for Ederson.
Danilo, for his part, feels that he is ready to make the step up to the truly elite level. Speaking to Globo, he admitted that he initially viewed his move from Forest to Botafogo as a “step backwards,” but he now realises that he had to do that to take “two steps forward.”
“I’m old enough to be in Europe, but my serious injury made me lose my place at Nottingham,” he explained. “Initially, I didn’t want to return to Brazil. I intended to bounce back and shine, but that’s football, and we can’t control certain things.
“I came back with the fear of not having done the right thing. It was a project for the World Cup, and again I had injuries that hampered me. So, the fear I had before became a reality because I wasn’t called up, I couldn’t get a consistent run of games.
“But from January onwards I was able to get back in good physical and mental shape to show my football. That step back worked out well for me to be in good shape for the national team. A step back that represented two or more steps forward.”
One of Danilo’s most valuable traits is his versatility. The fact that he started out as an attacker in his youth means that he is now capable of playing everywhere in the midfield.
“Nowadays, when a player is a box-to-box midfielder, it makes everything easier for teammates and the coach,” he said. “I can play as a six, an eight and even a 10. I can defend, attack, and make runs back and forth.
“This makes things easier and helps me a lot. I’ve always played as a 10 or an inverted winger since my time in Bahia’s youth system. I think the ease [to play different positions] in games stems a lot from that.”
Instead of spending big on a single marquee name, Man Utd are planning to prioritise volume ahead of their return to the Champions League. At €40m, Danilo seems to be the ideal profile of what the Red Devils are looking for.
He may not be a superstar like Elliot Anderson or Sandro Tonali (yet), but he would provide quality depth – and this is exactly what Man Utd need.
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