One of Manchester United’s top midfield targets could now be available at a bargain, according to reports from Brazil. Bolstering the engine room topped the agenda at Old Trafford this summer. United needed to replace the departing Casemiro. Beyond that, they also needed to pursue an upgrade on Manuel Ugarte, after the Uruguayan clearly failed to have the impact he should have had at the centre of the park. At least two, if not three, quality midfielders needed to be signed. Ederson announcement soon United agreed a deal for Ederson as their first midfield addition, with his medical scheduled to seal the move. However, striking deals for their other top midfield targets has proven tricky. Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, who could have been dream midfield additions, have since signed for rivals. Danilo Santos on the radar Consequently, Ineos now have to rely on scouting reports to identify decent alternative targets. One name already circled is Botafogo’s Danilo Santos, who is widely viewed as a brilliant Casemiro replacement. The ex-Nottingham Forest player’s reinvention at Botafogo, following his return home last summer, has not gone unnoticed. Indeed, his resurgence, showcasing what a complete midfielder he can be, seems to have blown scouts away. Initially seen as a defensive-minded midfielder, Danilo has since shown he can also pose an attacking threat, notching seven goals and two assists in his last 12 league games for Botafogo. There had already been talk of United moving for him before the World Cup, though the Brazilian outfit were not keen on striking a deal at that point. Their hope was that they could secure more than the £34 million the midfielder was touted to command, following an anticipated impressive showing on the world stage. Unfortunately for Fogao, Danilo never got the chance to show what he was truly about at the World Cup, managing just 43 minutes across Brazil’s tournament run. This lack of game time has, in turn, changed everything regarding a potential deal for his Botafogo exit, according to Brazilian newspaper O Dia, as cited by Sport Witness. Danilo bargain swoop on the cards Botafogo will not get what they wanted, with the midfielder returning “from the tournament without the significant jump in value they had hoped for.” Furthermore, “Botafogo’s financial situation has not changed, meaning the club still need a major sale this summer.” The report adds: “With the anticipated World Cup boost failing to materialise, reports in Brazil suggest it may become difficult to hold firm at the €40m (£34m) valuation. That fee had been discussed before the tournament.” Given his Premier League experience and the growth in his game over the past few months, Danilo is undoubtedly a decent midfield option for the 20-time English champions. Should a bargain deal be there for the taking, as suggested, United ought to be the ones closing it. With Arsenal also interested, United should move swiftly to try and get Danilo through the door. Landing the Brazilian at a bargain would then give United all the leverage they need to go all out and pull off the headline Aurelien Tchouameni swoop. Featured image Michael Owens via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.
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