Arsenal may try and get exciting £20m midfielder deal 'done now' | OneFootball

Arsenal may set their sights on bringing Brazilian defensive midfielder Danilo to the club in the January transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The current Palmeiras player has caught the eye of technical director Edu, and a deal could be struck to bring him to north London in the very near future.

What is the latest news involving Danilo?

According to a report from 90min, talks with the 21-year-old are at an advanced stage, and the move could even be finalised before the window officially opens, depending on how the rest of the negotiations span out.

Football London sources indicate that Edu has been interested in the 21-year-old for some time, and although a deal failed to materialise in the summer, he still remains keen on the player with a value considered to be around £20m.

However, the player himself indicated that there has been “nothing” in terms of developments about making a switch abroad, telling Band Sports that it is a matter he leaves with his agents to sort out (via Football London).

What has Jones said about Danilo?

When posed a question about the possibility of Danilo making a switch to the Emirates in an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Jones said:

“It definitely is an option, he’s in the position that they’ve been looking for for some time too, in case they do have any more problems in the DM area in the second half of the season.

“Edu’s had him on his radar for the past year, so it won’t surprise me at all if they do go and try to get that one done now.”

Would Danilo be a good signing?

Having been described as a “gem” by football scout Jacek Kulig, and also praised for his “great positional awareness & anticipation”, the midfielder would be an excellent signing for Arsenal this January.

As per FBref, the Arsenal target has recorded an average of 1.75 interceptions per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the 93rd percentile compared to his positional peers, while also displaying his passing abilities with a completion rate of 84.7%, a vital quality to possess playing in a Mikel Arteta system.

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Although the move would be somewhat of a gamble, as the Brazilian is yet to prove himself outside of his home country, the Gunners have proven success in bringing in players from technical director Edu’s home country, as illustrated with the astute signing of Gabriel Martinelli in 2019.

As rightly pointed out by Jones, Arteta needs to strengthen the defensive midfield area in January to ensure that they have options to replace Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey should they get injured, and Danilo would be a perfect addition.