FC Barcelona Target Signing Palmeiras And Brazil Midfielder Danilo

FC Barcelona are looking into possibly signing Brazil and Palmeiras defensive midfielder Danilo, according to reports.

The 21-year-old is a back-to-back winner of South America’s equvialent to the Champions League, the Copa Libertadores, and is considered to be the best player in his position on the continent.

While SPORT report that Wolverhampton Wanderers star Ruben Neves is Barca’s number one target in this area of the pitch after president Joan Laporta met with his agent Jorge Mendes earlier this week, the paper also says that Danilo is in the club’s crosshairs too and would come far cheaper at a price between €20-25mn ($21-26.3mn)

Danilo is ready to make the leap to the Old Continent and is willing to join FC Barcelona knowing that captain Sergio Busquets currently occupies his role and is a “sacred cow” for first team coach Xavi Hernandez.

In his potential first year at Camp Nou, however, the Salvador, Bahia native would act as an understudy to the aging Busquets and familiarize himself with the style of play that Xavi has tried to implement since he succeeded his predeessor in the dugout in late Autumn, Ronald Koeman.

This perhaps makes Danilo are more attractive prospect that Neves, then, who given his experience and price tag would not expect to land in Catalonia to warm the bench and act as Busquets’ number two.

At present, Danilo is regarded as one of South America’s most interesting prospects as a left-sided midfielder who is physically very strong and has good technical skills.

Joining Palmeiras as a 17-year-old, he has come on leaps and bounds under Abel Ferreira and has thus far made 106 appreances at senior level for the Sao Paulo giants.

In addition to the lifting the Copa Libertadores twice, Danilo has also won the Copa do Brasil, the South American Super Cup, and the Sao Paulo state championship.

In the latter tournament won earlier in 2022, he made the Team of the Year with the Brazilian Serie A the only major trophy that has eluded him thus far despite his tender age.

Traveling with the Selecao to Asia, he was an unused substitute in two friendlies this month but is fancied to make Tite’s Brazil squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.