Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Palmeiras midfielder Danilo and are also ready to step-up their interest in Leicester City star Youri Tielemans, according to 90min.
The Gunners desperately tried to bring in another midfielder during the summer window but failed to land their key targets after having at least two bids rejected by Aston Villa for Douglas Luiz on deadline day.
Arsenal are still in the market for midfield reinforcements ahead of the January window and Mikel Arteta admitted after the League Cup defeat to Brighton on Wednesday that the squad is ‘very, very short’.
The North Londoners were also heavily linked with Tielemans and Danilo during the summer months and it appears they are ready to renew their interest in the pair this winter.
90min claims that Arsenal are in advanced negotiations with Palmerias over a deal to sign Danilo and a transfer in January is ‘far more likely to materialise’. The South American is valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt so he could be cost-effective purchase for the Gunners.
The report says technical director Edu has identified the 21-year-old as a key target and believes the midfielder could come straight into the Arsenal squad and make an immediate impact during the second half of the season.
Danilo joined Palmeiras in 2018 and has made over 130 appearances since breaking into the first team set-up but it appears he could now be set for a new challenge in England.
90min suggests that a deal to join Arsenal could be finalised before the January window opens, so the defensive midfielder would be ready to link-up with the Gunners quickly and provide support during a busy winter period.
Tielemans also eyed
The report claims that Arsenal are also targeting a move for Tielemans and an official offer is expected to be submitted for the player over the coming weeks.
The Belgian international is in the final year of his contract and has made it clear he won’t be signing an extension, so the Londoners hope to tempt Leicester into a cut-price deal.
However, boss Brendan Rodgers is desperate to keep hold of Tielemans as the Foxes are battling for survival at the bottom of the table so Leicester may decide to hold him to the last few months of his deal.
That means Arsenal may have to wait until the summer to sign Tielemans on a free transfer but they aren’t the only club showing an interest so there is likely to be a battle for his signature next year.
90min says Arsenal are ‘confident’ of signing the 25-year-old – either in January of next summer – so it looks as though they are targeting a double swoop for Tielemans and Danilo as Arteta looks to bolster his midfield options.
