MX23RW : Saturday, December 14 11:46:01| >> :60:826:826:

Arsenal 'not pursuing January deal for Palmeiras midfielder Danilo'

Arsenal 'not pursuing January deal for Danilo'
© Reuters
Arsenal are not pursuing a January deal for Palmeiras midfielder Danilo, according to a report.

Palmeiras midfielder Danilo is not a transfer target for Arsenal, according to a report.

The 21-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to North London since establishing himself as a key player for the reigning Brasileiro champions.

Danilo, who primarily plays as a defensive midfielder but can also feature in an advanced role, ended the 2022 season with seven goals and four assists under his belt from 56 appearances in all competitions.

The lynchpin left PFC Cajazeiras in January 2019 to make the move to Palmeiras, and he has now amassed a total of 12 goals and nine assists in 141 games for the South American giants.

Danilo played 34 Serie A games in 2022 as Palmeiras secured their 11th title, and he has also won two Copa Libertadores, one Brazilian Cup and one Recopa Sudamericana crown, but he is still waiting for his Brazil debut.

Palmeiras' Danilo celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on April 3, 2022© Reuters

Palmeiras are in a comfortable situation regarding Danilo's contract, as the youngster extended his deal until the end of 2026 in February, but he is thought to remain a target for Premier League clubs.

Danilo has opened the door to a future move to England's top flight, telling UOL Esporte last month: "I see myself mature enough to be able to play in any competition in the world, I'm ready."

However, The Athletic claims that Arsenal currently have no plans in place to sign Danilo, with Mikel Arteta prioritizing other targets alongside sporting director Edu.

Arsenal were expected to sign a new central midfielder over the summer, despite Mohamed Elneny's contract extension, but the window closed without any fresh additions in the engine room.

Elneny only signed a one-year extension at the Emirates Stadium, and Arsenal are expected to resume their pursuit of a midfield signing during the January transfer window.

Leicester City's Youri Tielemans pictured on October 3, 2022© Reuters

Leicester City's Youri Tielemans is still thought to be high on the Gunners' wishlist, and he is about to enter the final six months of his contract with Brendan Rodgers's side.

Arsenal could face competition from Barcelona to sign Tielemans, but the Catalan giants reportedly believe that the Belgian has already agreed to join a different club.

Eintracht Frankfurt's Djibril Sow and Paris Saint-Germain's Leandro Paredes have also been linked with moves to the Emirates, although a new forward could be Arteta's number one target after Gabriel Jesus's injury.

The same report claims that the Premier League leaders are optimistic about their chances of a January deal for Shakhtar Donetsk's Mykhaylo Mudryk, even though the Ukrainian side have set a €100m (£86m) valuation.

A recall for on-loan Reims striker Folarin Balogun has also been mentioned, but there are not thought to be any talks over terminating the 21-year-old's Ligue 1 spell early.

ID:501887:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5963:
Written by
Ben Knapton

Click here for more stories about Mikel Arteta

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Jude Bellingham in action for England on December 4, 2022
Read Next:
Gilberto Silva teases Arsenal move for Jude Bellingham
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!