Arsenal tried to sign Danilo for £21m on summer transfer deadline day

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Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move to sign Palmeiras youngster Danilo over the last few months.

The Gunners are very light in midfield. Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga are the only natural central midfielders available at Arteta’s disposal at the moment, which is not enough if they really want to mount a title charge this season.

Mikel Arteta and Edu are likely to sign a new midfielder in January, and Danilo could well be the man.

Arsenal tried to sign Danilo for £21m on summer transfer deadline day

On transfer deadline day last summer, Arsenal were desperate for a new defensive midfielder after it was confirmed that Mohamed Elneny had suffered a long-term injury.

Arteta and Edu tried extremely hard to bring Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz in, but after they realised a move wasn’t possible, they apparently turned their attention to young Danilo.

One of the 21-year-old representatives reportedly told Yahoo Esportes this week: “On the day of the closing of the window in England, Arsenal went to Palmeiras and said they would pay €25 million (£21m).”

Another source close to Danilo told the outlet: “He is the first name for the position among the main clubs in Europe.”

The outlet further reports that Palmeiras will not even consider selling him in January for any fee less than £26 million. That makes him very affordable for the Gunners, and it won’t be a surprise at all to see Arteta and Edu make a move to sign him.

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Arsenal need a new midfielder in the January transfer window.

Thomas Partey is their main man in the middle of the park and he has been brilliant this season. However, the Ghanaian has struggled with several injuries during his time as a Gunner, which makes him unreliable for the whole season.

If Partey becomes unavailable, Arsenal will be in deep trouble. Lokonga and Xhaka are good players, but they just can’t do what the Ghanaian does in the middle of the park.

Arsenal need to bring in cover for Partey, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Danilo is the man Arteta and Edu are looking at.