of the armory The growing interest in Danilo now comes with a very clear background. The Botafogo midfielder looks increasingly like a player who is already halfway out the door.
The 24-year-old was unexpectedly pulled from Botafogo's match against Corinthians on Sunday, officially due to "personal reasons". This information was given globo esporte.
Questions were immediately raised over the timing in Brazil, especially as Danilo was expected to start in such an important match. So it is becoming impossible to ignore the bigger picture around him.
Botafogo won 3–1 even without him. However, talks afterward were almost entirely about the midfielder's future.
And Arsenal are right in the middle of it right now.
Arsenal are leading the English interest
As mentioned earlierArsenal have already made contact with Danilo's staff. They have moved beyond simple scouting to more concrete player positioning.
It matters even more now. This is because the perception in Brazil is that Danilo's departure after the World Cup is becoming inevitable.
The midfielder is enjoying the best form of his career, with 9 goals and 3 assists in 21 matches this season, and is expected to be named in Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad.
Botafogo believe a strong tournament could boost his value to €40m (£34m), while current market expectations are still closer to €25m-30m (£21m-26m). So Arsenal's timing looks smart.
While many clubs are waiting to see how the World Cup changes the market, the Gunners have already started laying the groundwork around the players' camp.
Why was Danilo released?
Now reports from Brazil suggest that the decision to remove Danilo from the Corinthians match was influenced by several factors at once.
There was concern about fatigue after four starts in 12 days. He is also undergoing treatment for an ankle problem that still troubles him at times. Most importantly, Danilo himself is completely focused on saving his chances of going to the World Cup.
This created some tension internally.
according to globo esporteDanilo told manager Franklim Carvalho before the match that "His head wasn't in the right place to play.". Despite initially remaining in the squad, he was withdrawn completely due to another conversation on the morning of the match.
Furthermore, if Danilo had played against Corinthians, he would have reached 13 league matches and would have been ineligible to represent any other Brazilian club in the first division. Staying at 12 leaves the door open for Palmeiras or Flamengo.
Nevertheless, Botafogo reportedly believe it is highly unlikely that any Brazilian club will be able to reach the €40m (£34m) figure they want. Europe remains the priority – for both club and player.
'Risk management' before the World Cup
At this point, every decision surrounding Danilo seems to be tied to the World Cup.
Brazilian reports suggest he may not play again before the tournament. Despite still being theoretically available for upcoming matches, the situation is being viewed as a mix of physical precautions, transfer planning and pure "risk management".
Danilo does not want to decide his future even before the World Cup. The feeling around the player is that the tournament could completely change the level of clubs pushing for him. And this is where Arsenal comes back into the picture.
Danilo wants another opportunity in Europe and specifically in England. After his mixed spell at Nottingham Forest, there is a strong feeling around the player He still has something to prove at Premier League level.
fulham, Manchester United, newcastle and tottenham All have been added in recent weeks. But Arsenal now appear to be the club moving forward with the most purpose in England.
And as Botafogo are already preparing for life after Danilo, the market around him is getting even hotter.
