Porto star Danilo has admitted that he ‘dreams’ of playing Premier League football and suggested he would jump at the chance to join Arsenal after seeing Mikel Arteta turn around a sinking ship, while speaking to Stats Perform News via The Standard.
One swallow does not make a summer and one FA Cup semi-final victory does not mean that we should prepare for a second coming of the Invincibles.
But even the most hardnosed Tottenham Hotspur supporter would have to admit that, with Arteta patrolling the dugout, Arsenal look a team transformed.
As Pep Guardiola’s steely-eyed protégé has admitted himself, a lack of investment from above threatens to stunt all his good work in north London.
Cash-strapped Arsenal will have to think outside the box in the transfer market this summer, with Champions League riches now a distant memory.
But that does not mean that the sleeping giants cannot still enhance their starting XI while operating on a shoestring budget.
The Standard reports that Danilo has emerged as a cut-price alternative to top target Thomas Partey after helping Porto wrestle back the Primeira Liga crown from bitter rivals Benfica.
And, after five years at the Dragao, the 37-time Portugal international would jump at the chance to follow in the footsteps of his idol – former Gunners captain Patrick Vieira.
“(Arteta) is doing a really, really, good job there,” Danilo told Stats Perform News. “He is a really good coach and Arsenal play very good football.
“The style…I think I can fit there (at Arsenal). Of course I like to be here in Porto, to be here in my country, but I want to be in a better league like the Premier League.
“I always dreamed about playing in that league. I played also in Serie A but I think the Premier League is a huge league and one day I want to play there, to improve to be a better player. I think it’s the best league in the world.
“I grew up seeing Patrick Vieira playing in Arsenal, he is one of my idols so it is very good to hear (comparisons with the former France international).”
Like Vieira, Danilo is a powerhouse midfielder who can dominate games with his superb distribution and boundless energy.
ESPN reported in June that Porto could sell the 2016 European champion for a reduced fee of £18 million as the Portuguese title-winners look to adapt to an unprecedented financial situation.
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