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Arsenal open talks to sign Botafogo star Danilo Santos

By on July 9, 2026

Danilo Nottingham Forest

Arsenal have reportedly held talks to sign Botafogo midfielder Danilo Santos, as per Brazilian outlet O Dia.

Following Christian Nørgaard’s struggles to break into Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up and Martín Zubimendi’s inconsistent performances last term, the Gunners are planning to sign a new midfielder this summer.

A plethora of names have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, with LOSC Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Newcastle United ace Bruno Guimaraes being among them.

However, while citing and translating the print version of O Dia, Sport Witness report that Arsenal are also interested in Danilo and have positioned themselves around the player in recent months.

Manchester United are also in this race and have already held discussions with Botafogo to finalise the operation. But Arsenal have made contact with the player’s representatives to persuade him to join. Apart from the Premier League clubs, Palmeiras are also considering making a move for him.

With the midfielder’s existing deal set to run until 2029, Botafogo are in a strong position to demand a big fee if they are forced to cash-in on him. The report state that the Brazilian side were hoping to earn around £34m from his sale if he shone in the World Cup.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, failing to start any game. So, they might now have to accept less than that sum to let him leave.

Danilo to Arsenal

The 25-year-old is a left-footed defensive midfielder but is also efficient in the box-to-box role. He is dynamic, can make surging runs from deep, can play line-breaking passes, and is also strong in defensive contributions.

After joining Nottingham Forest from Palmeiras, the South American struggled to find his feet in the Premier League before signing for Botafogo last year.

He has showcased his productivity this year, making 11 goal contributions across all competitions. After being impressed by him, Carlo Ancelotti selected him for Brazil’s World Cup squad. However, he remained on the periphery.

Nevertheless, he is a talented player and is currently at the prime stage of his career. Therefore, Danilo might be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal should they eventually opt to purchase him during this offseason.