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Arsenal ‘moving agreesively’ to sign Botafofo star Danilo

By on May 22, 2026

Danilo Nottingham Forest

Arsenal are plotting a swoop to sign highly rated Brazilian international midfielder Danilo from Botafogo next summer, according to reports via Sport Witness.

Danilo developed through the youth system at Palmeiras during his early years in Brazil. He famously won the Adidas Bronze Ball in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup after starring for Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras side that lost the final to Chelsea.

His performances placed him on the radar of several European clubs before joining Nottingham Forest in January 2023, where he made 62 appearances at the City Ground, including 50 outings in the Premier League.

Since arriving at Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas in July 2025, Danilo has featured 41 times for the club and has cemented himself as one of the best midfielders in the Brazilian League.

In the ongoing campaign, the 25-year-old has been in strong form, netting ten goals and providing three assists in all competitions despite being a defensive midfielder. It’s no surprise he was included in Carlo Ancelotti’s 26-man World Cup squad.

Despite having a contract at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos that runs until 2029, Sport Witness, citing sources, reports that Danilo is expected to depart Botafogo, with several clubs, including Arsenal, now showing interest.

The report adds that the Gunners have established contact with the midfielders’ camp and are now ‘moving aggressively’ to complete the deal.

Danilo to Arsenal

Having been included in Brazil’s World Cup squad, Botafogo are hopeful his performances in the tournament will help the club recoup up to £34m from the sale of the Brazilian, who is also of keen interest to Manchester United, according to the report.

Mikel Merino has spent much of the recent months unavailable through injury issues, forcing Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi to carry a significant workload across the campaign.

Meanwhile, Christian Nørgaard is set to turn 33 next year and remains under contract until 2027, although the agreement also includes the possibility of a further 12-month extension.

After managing only 56 minutes of Premier League action and failing to accumulate even 500 minutes across all competitions this season, there is increasing belief that Arsenal could become open to offers for the Danish midfielder, who is no longer viewed as an essential figure within the first-team setup.

Therefore, Danilo would be a good like-for-like replacement who can also offer an additional goalscoring threat for Mikel Arteta, which has become an accustomed trait among his midfielders