Nottingham Forest are seeing Danilo become the talk of the club again, this time thanks to an interview he gave during their strong revival in Brazil.
Since returning from England, the midfielder has found his rhythm in impressive fashion at Botafogo.
He is now one of the key figures at John Textor's side, both for his level of performance and his representation in the market.
And As we covered earlierBotafogo recently tried to send him back to Forest, but the move was blocked amid a legal dispute over the club's structure.
In other words, Nottingham Forest have not disappeared from their story at all. Whatever happens, they keep reappearing in it.
Back on top form at Botafogo
Danilo's value has increased rapidly as he is producing again. He has scored five goals in six Brazilian league matches, while also adding one assist. For a central midfielder, these are astonishing numbers.
They help explain why he has become so Important figure for Botafogo So soon after returning to Brazil from Nottingham Forest. He also explains why his name is doing the rounds in the market again.
His domestic form has pushed him back into the Brazil team. He was called by Carlo Ancelotti As for the friendlies against France and Croatia, and the broader picture in Brazil, he is firmly set for the World Cup if this level continues. This gives even more weight to every transfer rumor related to him.
Against that backdrop, both Palmeiras and Flamengo are being linked with a move to take him away from Botafogo. Yet it appears the player has a different long-term idea in mind.
Europe plan remains
Speaking to UOL, Danilo made it clear that he still sees Europe as his desired destination at some level.
"I think my mentality has changed. Of course, now I'm at Botafogo and I'm thinking about helping the team out of this struggle at the beginning of the year. And, if God wills that I return to Europe, I'll think about it and then we'll go again." He said.
"I always thought about returning to Europe. I loved playing in the Premier League. At that time I scored goals, and I helped the team avoid relegation with my teammates at Nottingham Forest, and I was confident there."
That's the main line. While Brazilian clubs are making the rounds, Danilo himself is talking about Europe – and specifically, Forest.
He also reflected on one of the toughest moments of his time at the City Crown, and offered more context about how that spell shaped him.
asked about He suffered an injury soon after reaching EnglandDanilo admitted that this was a big shock at the time.
"It was very difficult, especially because it happened at the beginning of the Premier League. I had a good pre-season, the coach praised me, I was at my best physical moment and then this happened"He said.
"I broke my ankle and left it in God's hands. Of course it was hard. I spent a long time without playing, but what I went through there helped me mature even more and live this dream now with the national team."
The Nottingham Forest mantra still matters
The warmth is also evident in the way he talks about Nottingham Forest. He did not describe the move as a failure or a chapter he wanted to forget. Instead, he described it as an important period in his development, and one which he still looks back on with confidence.
This should have caught Forrest's attention, especially as his time there was not limited to a hard race.
He arrived midway through a season, then endured a relegation battle throughout 2023/24, and then featured again in the early half of the next campaign before returning to Brazil.
Survival Season is the obvious reference point. Forest finished above the bottom three in 2023/24, and Danilo made 29 Premier League appearances, scoring two goals and two assists.
He was part of the team that finished ahead of Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United by narrow margins. Forest finished that season on 32 points, six above 18th place.
Now he is thriving again, attracting attention again, and talking about Europe again. This means that Nottingham Forest are also part of the talks again.
Exclusive: Mathias Oliveira
🚨Nottingham Forest are still pursuing a Napoli player
➡️Change #NFFC Interest has not been affected
🔼The Premier League is the key to a successful transferhttps://t.co/f51ZV1MFiv #SSCinapoli- Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 27 March 2026
