Reports surfacing from Portugal over the course of Friday morning claim that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola could finish his summer spree with a move for Porto midfielder Danilo.
The 25-year-old is being closely monitored by both City and French giants Paris Saint-Germain, according to A Bola, with the Blues outlining a plan to secure his signature for the 2017-18 season.
However, the fact that Danilo only penned a new contract at Porto in January means that the club’s owners are unwilling to open any negotiations on his €55 million (£50.6 million) release clause.
Would Danilo bring much to the Etihad?
Because what’s better than one Danilo? Two of them.
Although it may seem that Manchester City have midfield options streaming out of their ears following their recruits over the past few seasons, a move for Danilo may in fact be quite smart.
If the report is true in the claims that City would come to an agreement which sees him join Guardiola’s side in Manchester for the 2018-19 season, most likely allowing him to spend one further year in Portugal with Porto, he could almost be a like-for-like Yaya Toure replacement in 12 months’ time.
The 34-year-old Ivorian signed a new one-year deal at the end of last season, and it’s looking increasingly possible that this is Toure’s last year at the Etihad after nearly eight years of service.
Guardiola has made a point of investing in youth in each position – primarily focusing on his ageing defensive line this summer – and a holding midfielder is arguably the final piece in the City jigsaw.
Although Toure will no doubt do a great job once again this season, performing at his usual consistent best, Guardiola is thinking for the future and 25-year-old Danilo would be a great coup.
Since arriving at Porto from lowly Portuguese side Maritimo in 2015 he has gone from strength to strength, making a name for himself and locking down a starting spot inside his first season there.
Much like Toure, he is happiest sitting as the deepest midfielder, allowing his team-mates to move further up the pitch into the attack, but he is customary to his own driving, rampaging runs as well.
The Portuguese powerhouse is also incredibly strong – yet deceptively agile – and combine this alongside his raw technical ability on the ball and City could potentially sign an excellent all-rounder to push them closer to silverware, and Danilo could easily become an indispensable team member.