Arsenal 'not pursuing January deal for Palmeiras midfielder Danilo'

Palmeiras midfielder Danilo is not a transfer target for Arsenal, according to a report.

The 21-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to North London since establishing himself as a key player for the reigning Brasileiro champions.

Danilo, who primarily plays as a defensive midfielder but can also feature in an advanced role, ended the 2022 season with seven goals and four assists under his belt from 56 appearances in all competitions.

The lynchpin left PFC Cajazeiras in January 2019 to make the move to Palmeiras, and he has now amassed a total of 12 goals and nine assists in 141 games for the South American giants.

Danilo played 34 Serie A games in 2022 as Palmeiras secured their 11th title, and he has also won two Copa Libertadores, one Brazilian Cup and one Recopa Sudamericana crown, but he is still waiting for his Brazil debut.

© Reuters

Palmeiras are in a comfortable situation regarding Danilo's contract, as the youngster extended his deal until the end of 2026 in February, but he is thought to remain a target for Premier League clubs.

Danilo has opened the door to a future move to England's top flight, telling UOL Esporte last month: "I see myself mature enough to be able to play in any competition in the world, I'm ready."

However, The Athletic claims that Arsenal currently have no plans in place to sign Danilo, with Mikel Arteta prioritizing other targets alongside sporting director Edu.

Arsenal were expected to sign a new central midfielder over the summer, despite Mohamed Elneny's contract extension, but the window closed without any fresh additions in the engine room.

Elneny only signed a one-year extension at the Emirates Stadium, and Arsenal are expected to resume their pursuit of a midfield signing during the January transfer window.

© Reuters

Leicester City's Youri Tielemans is still thought to be high on the Gunners' wishlist, and he is about to enter the final six months of his contract with Brendan Rodgers's side.

Arsenal could face competition from Barcelona to sign Tielemans, but the Catalan giants reportedly believe that the Belgian has already agreed to join a different club.

Eintracht Frankfurt's Djibril Sow and Paris Saint-Germain's Leandro Paredes have also been linked with moves to the Emirates, although a new forward could be Arteta's number one target after Gabriel Jesus's injury.

The same report claims that the Premier League leaders are optimistic about their chances of a January deal for Shakhtar Donetsk's Mykhaylo Mudryk, even though the Ukrainian side have set a €100m (£86m) valuation.

A recall for on-loan Reims striker Folarin Balogun has also been mentioned, but there are not thought to be any talks over terminating the 21-year-old's Ligue 1 spell early.