When Juventus and Manchester City swapped Danilo and Joao Cancelo this summer, it was a deal that seemed to suited all parties.
Juventus were getting rid of a player they did not want, and getting a suitable replacement in at the same time, while Manchester City were getting the kind of attacking full-back that fits perfectly into Pep Guardiola’s system.
Danilo meanwhile was guaranteed the playing time in Italy that he had struggled to get during his time at the Etihad while Cancelo got the opportunity to move to England and work under Pep Guardiola.
For most, it was merely a like for like swap between the two clubs, with the consensus being that there is very little difference between the two players.
That’s not an opinion that Vitor Pereira, a man who has worked with Danilo in the past, shares. He says the former Manchester City full-back is completely different from the man he replaced.
“I’m not joking, Danilo is a top-quality fullback. I bought him for Porto in 2011, he was just 21 years old, but at that time, his great personality amazed me,” he told Tuttomercatoweb.
“We are talking about a very offensive player, a Brazilian acrobatic who can place himself both on the outside and on the inside along the right-wing.
“He is good with two feet, has an amazing technique and in recent years I have also noticed an evolution in terms of tactics, a path that – apart from injury – is definitely carrying on in Serie A.
“You cannot compare Cancelo and Danilo. They are two absolute top-level players, I know them well, and I appreciate them both.
“Let’s say that they are very different in interpreting the same role but equally valid. Two different solutions for Juventus.”
