How Crystal Palace could bring £18m ex-Nottingham Forest gem back to Premier League in January
Crystal Palace could give a former Premier League player a second chance in the January transfer window, according to reports.
By the time that the January transfer window comes around, it will have been four years since Nottingham Forest first signed midfielder Danilo Santos, and 18 months since they sold him to Botafogo – but according to recent reports, it could also be the time that he makes his return to the Premier League, only this time for another club.
In the time since he left the City Ground he’s established himself as an increasingly important member of Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad and become one of the strongest performers in the Brasileirão. That seems to have persuaded Crystal Palace to make a move – but how likely is it that they make a slightly surprising signing in January?
Crystal Palace eye Danilo Santos for January transfer bid – reports
Crystal Palace have been linked with a bid for Danilo on a few occasions since the summer, and the most recent reports from the Brazilian media – summarised in a new article by Sport Witness – suggest that a January offer is increasingly likely.
Although Danilo was only sold to Botafogo last summer in one of a number of deals which took place between Nottingham Forest and John Textor’s now-collapsed multi-club ownership group, Palace seem to believe that they have an opportunity to sign the 25-year-old, and have reportedly had their chief scout watch him in person.
ESPN Brasil claimed that Alessandro Brito was spotted watching Danilo during his side’s recent 2-1 defeat to Vasco da Gama, with other representatives allegedly attending matches as they keep tabs on his performances. They’re likely to have been impressed.
A ball-winning midfielder with a strong all-round game, he has been among the most consistent performers in the Brazilian league since returning to his home country and his unexpected goalscoring exploits have also caught the eye – after scoring just six goals in his 62 appearances for Forest, he has already scored 11 in the current season alone for Botafogo.
Given that his nine league goals come from just 2.5xG, it’s unlikely that he’d be able to sustain that scoring record in the Premier League, but his increasing impact at both ends of the pitch has clearly attracted Palace’s attention, and kept him in national team manager Carlo Ancelotti’s plans – Danilo was the only player to start all three of Brazil’s friendly matches over the course of the recent international break.
Sport Witness’ report suggests that Crystal Palace are considering a January bid after the Brazilian season has ended – but how realistic is it, and how much might such a move cost?
Could Crystal Palace sign Danilo over the winter?
While it’s only a little more than a year since Botafogo signed Danilo to five-year contract, the chances are that they will be desperate to sell him – because the collapse of Textor’s footballing empire has left them in a dire financial situation.
Reports suggest that they have debts in the region of £270m, and the need to service those debts means that any saleable assets are available for a fair price. Palace would likely encounter little resistance if they made an offer.
What kind of offer might be required is less clear. Sport Witness’ report makes no mention of the likely asking price, and all we have to go on is the amount which Botafogo paid Nottingham Forest for him in the first place – around €25m (£21m).
Between Danilo’s growing stature and Botafogo’s difficult financial position, it’s difficult to guess the fee which Palace would pay, but it seems unlikely to be excessive for a potential starting player for a Premier League team. Botafogo will hope to turn a profit, but may not be able to squeeze much out of the deal unless there is a bidding war.
It’s not clear whether there will be interest from other sides. Newcastle United, Fulham, AS Roma and Atalanta are among the teams to have been linked with a bid at some point in recent months, but there are fewer stories which point to sincere interest from those clubs than there are with Crystal Palace.
For Palace, the level of interest from other teams will determine how easy this deal is to do. Assuming that their scouts come back with positive reports then the finances probably won’t present a problem – it’s a matter of whether other teams enter the frame and persuade Danilo that their project is more appealing.
This could be a savvy, budget-conscious deal for a player whose star is rising and whose production is growing in promising fashion. Or perhaps some other team will come in and wreck Palace’s plans. With nearly three months to go until the January transfer window, it’s simply too early to say.