Crystal Palace have taken another step in their pursuit of Danilo Santos, with the club sending scouts to watch the Botafogo midfielder in Brazil.
The 24-year-old remains a target for the January transfer window, and Palace are clearly doing their homework before making a decision.
Their latest scouting trip took them to Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday night. Danilo played the full 90 minutes as Botafogo lost 2-1 at home to Vasco da Gama.
Despite the result, the midfielder gave the visitors a few things to think about.
Palace send scouting staff to watch Danilo
Crystal Palace had scouts at the match alongside head scout Alessandro Brito, as detailed by ESPN Brazil.
We know it’s a player they’ve already been following for quite a while. But having Brito there personally suggests Palace want a closer look before January arrives.
Danilo couldn’t prevent Botafogo’s defeat, although he put in a decent individual performance.
He completed 78% of his passes and was particularly effective without the ball. The midfielder won five of his six duels, showing the strong defensive side of his game.
However, his attacking numbers this season are surely worth mentioning. Danilo has scored nine goals and provided two assists in 22 Brazilian league appearances for Botafogo.
Prior to that match, Danilo has also been getting regular opportunities with Brazil. He was the only player in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad that started all three of their matches during the latest international break.
That included 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Australia and 87 minutes in a 4-2 victory over the same opponents. He then played the first 45 minutes of Brazil’s 4-0 win against India. Just another indication of his growing importance nationwide.
| Every Crystal Palace signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight McNeil | Everton | Swap Deal |
| Anan Khalaili | Union Saint-Gilloise | £21m |
| Quinten Timber | Marseille | £17m |
| Zavier Gozo | Real Salt Lake | £11m |
| Darío Osorio | FC Midtjylland | Loan |
| Óscar Mingueza | Celta de Vigo | Free |
| Takehiro Tomiyasu | Ajax | Free |
| Ben Chilwell | Chelsea | Loan |
| Axel Disasi | Chelsea | Loan |
| Honest Ahanor | Atalanta | Loan |
| Walter Benítez | PSV Eindhoven | Free |
January move remains on the agenda
As we’ve covered previously, Crystal Palace have identified Danilo as one of the players they’re considering for the winter market. Wednesday’s visit is another indication that the interest hasn’t gone away.
There’s also a difference between following a player through reports and having senior recruitment staff watch him in person. Palace have now done the latter, with January less than three months away.
For now, there’s no indication of an offer or negotiations with Botafogo. Palace are still assessing their options, and Danilo has given them another performance to consider.
The result wasn’t what the Brazilian club wanted, but the midfielder certainly had an interested audience watching him.
