Arsenal are plotting a move for Brazilian midfielder Danilo in the January transfer window as Mikel Arteta aims to strengthen his squad.

What’s the news?

According to reports in Spain, the Palmeiras midfielder is one of four players that the Gunners want to sign during the transfer window to boost their chances of winning the Premier League title.

The north Londoners have been interested in the youngster for a while now, as the Brazilian outfit set an asking price of €35m (£30m) in the summer following Arteta’s failed €25m (£21.7m) bid.

However, journalist Jorge Nicola claimed last month that a similar bid this time around could see Arsenal win the race for the player's signature in January.

Dream first January signing

Despite Arsenal’s strong start to the league campaign, which sees them occupying the summit of the table, a few January signings would be a major boost in Arteta’s bid to secure the title.

The Spaniard's starting XI is extremely strong, but following an injury to Gabriel Jesus at the World Cup, the Gunners' strength in depth could be severely tested, which may be a cause for concern heading into 2023.

It seems as though Arteta is building for the future, with Danilo just 21 years old, and he could certainly be a mainstay of the team for years to come if he makes the move to London.

Operating mainly as a defensive midfielder, the Brazilian still managed three goal contributions – one goal and two assists – in the 2022 campaign for Palmeiras while achieving a solid Sofascore rating of 6.86/10 across his 34 appearances.

However, it is defensively that the youngster really stands out. He made 2.1 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, and one clearance per match during the course of the season and the next stage of his development surely lies in Europe, where he can test himself against the best players in world football.

Zach Lowy claimed in August that Danilo “would be a shrewd pickup” for Arsenal, and his performances in 2022 have justified this praise.

For just £21.7m, Arteta could sign a player who would likely be able to make a difference to this Arsenal side, and it would also be an excellent investment for the future.

It seems a no-brainer, and the next few weeks could be extremely interesting indeed in this regard.