Crystal Palace are still monitoring André Luiz and Danilo Santos as they look at options for a position they believe needs strengthening.
The two Brazilian midfielders have been mentioned around Palace before, although in very different circumstances.
Corinthians’ André has a much stronger history with the Eagles, including scouting trips from the club. Botafogo’s Danilo, meanwhile, has barely featured in the Palace picture at all.
Crystal Palace still watching both midfielders
Crystal Palace head scout in the Americas Alessandro Brito has now spoken about both players during an interview with ESPN Brazil. Asked whether negotiations had taken place for André and Danilo, Brito first made one thing clear.
“No, they didn’t get to the point of happening.”
That does not mean Palace have walked away from either player.
“They remain under our monitoring,” Brito said. “There is a need for us in that position, so we’ve been following some players who stand out there.
“They are, yes, on a broad monitoring list that we’ve been following game by game.”
That’s interesting in André’s case. We have covered Palace’s interest in the midfielder extensively, and there was enough behind it for scouts from the London club to watch him.
Brito’s comments now give us a clearer idea of where that stood. Palace were certainly keeping a close eye on him, but according to their own head scout, it never developed into an actual negotiation.
Danilo is a slightly different story. We hadn’t seen any serious Palace links around him. His name was more commonly connected with Newcastle United, particularly after his performances at the World Cup.
Now we know Palace have him on their wider list too.
Brito explains what Palace see in players like Danilo
Earlier in the conversation, Brito also offered an interesting explanation of what can make a midfielder work in England. He pointed out that raw speed is not everything.
“The difference with this type of player is that he isn’t quick in physical terms, but he makes the game quick,” he explained.
“He doesn’t necessarily need that physical side, but the way he acts is his essence. He’s the guy who can develop the game with one touch, two touches, and he makes the game quick. So that can be a difference in the league.”
That gives a little more context to Danilo’s presence on Palace’s list. Brito had already explained that Palace put huge importance on strength and speed when assessing players for the Premier League.
Also, Brito knows Danilo quite well, having been responsible for taking him to Botafogo from Nottingham Forest after the midfielder spent around 18 months in England.
For now, André and Danilo remain monitoring cases. The important part is that this confirmation comes directly from the man leading Palace’s scouting work across the Americas.
There is also, by his own admission, a position in the squad they believe needs attention.
