Following Arsenal’s failed pursuit of Douglas Luiz in the summer, the Gunners are now set to miss out on long-term target Danilo.
That's because Nottingham Forest are in talks with Palmeiras after lodging an £18million bid to sign the midfielder, according to The Telegraph. It’s added that the offer has not been accepted yet due to Ligue 1 side AS Monaco also pushing for the player's signature.
Danilo was first looked at by sporting director Edu in January of last year before a move was considered again in the summer following injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny, football.london understands. However, Palmeiras were reluctant to sell at the time, leading the Gunners to turn their attention to Aston Villa’s Luiz on deadline day.
READ MORE: Arsenal set to lose out on key transfer target as Nottingham Forest submit £18m Brazil star bid
It was reported back in December that Danilo was not on the club's agenda heading into the January window, with Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk being prioritised instead.
Despite many Arsenal fans believing central midfield must be bolstered urgently, Mikel Arteta and Edu’s decision to hold off on a move for Danilo could prove to be a masterstroke should he make the switch to the East Midlands.
Nottingham Forest find themselves just two points clear of the relegation zone after 18 games and have struggled for consistency, making them one of the favourites to go straight back down to the Championship next season.
Although it’s never a particularly nice thing to see clubs struggle and subsequently face the drop, Arsenal may be in a position to benefit from Forest’s struggles, with Danilo potentially becoming available again in the summer as a result.
It would obviously remain to be seen if Danilo opts to stay put at The City Ground for another season or seek a new challenge elsewhere, but given Forest are believed to have spent around £150million in the summer, a sale may be the preferred option.
This would allow Arsenal to revisit a deal for the 21-year-old, who would have had plenty of time to adapt to the Premier League, thus making him a reliable option rather than an unproven one.
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