Brazilian giants Palmeiras have ruled out selling Danilo to Premier League giants Arsenal or West Ham United this summer, vice-president Paulo Buosi tells ESPN.
The all-action 21-year-old sent the rumour mill into a frenzy last week when he admitted that he was studying English.
Amid reports suggesting that Arsenal have held talks with Danilo regarding a potential £21 million move to the Emirates Stadium, this, in the eyes of some, was less a coincidence, more a cryptic hint about a potentially impending switch to the Premier League (Bolavip).
West Ham are also fans of Danilo.
The midfielder’s agent confirmed interest from Watford too, though the Hornets’ hopes of repeating the Richarlison deal of 2017 went up in smoke when they dropped out of the top-flight with the most feeble of whimpers.
Danilo will not be joining Watford this summer. According to the decision makers at Palmeiras, he won’t be joining anyone, English lessons or no English lessons.
Is West Ham and Arsenal target Danilo staying at Palmeiras?
“Our squad is very small. We need reinforcements. We need to buy players, not sell players,” Palmeiras president Leila Pereira said last week.
“And, in the summer window, Danilo stays. You can put a nail in it.”
“I repeat and reiterate what President Leila Pereira said: Danilo will stay with us,” adds VP Buosi. “We still have a way to go with Danilo. I repeat and reiterate: Danilo will not be sold.”
Is that it, then? An early end to this particular transfer saga?
Danilo has an £86 million release clause in a contract that still has four years left to run. It’s fair to say Palmeiras, Copa Libertadores champions in 2021, are in a position of real strength as they endeavour to hold onto a man who earned the Bronze Ball – a trophy awarded to the third-best player – during the recent Club World Cup.
And, having turned 21 just a couple of weeks ago, Danilo has plenty of time on his side too. Why rush? It’s a short career, yes, but not that short.
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“He has to play in the Premier League,” says Palmeiras team-mate Dudu. “I always tell him: ‘You have to play for Manchester United, for Arsenal’.
“You have to be calm. He’s a boy who gives his life (for Palmeiras) but I say: ‘You’re a player to play for Chelsea, for those teams.’
“I want him to stay with us. But that’s what I see (that Danilo has a future in the Premier League).”
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