Incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is apparently interested in bringing Juventus defender and ex-Manchester City star Danilo to Old Trafford next year.
The Sporting Lisbon boss will officially take charge of the Red Devils on Monday, and his impending arrival has naturally sparked speculation as to who could follow him to Manchester.
A plethora of Sporting stars - namely Viktor Gyokeres and Geovany Quenda - have been tipped to reunite with Amorim at Old Trafford, but he has insisted that he will not be poaching any players from the Portuguese side in January.
The Red Devils are not expected to have a lot of money to splash over the winter, having spent big on Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt over the summer.
Instead, Amorim will likely be restricted to loan deals, free agents and cut-price signings, and according to Juve Live - via The Sun - that could lead him in the direction of the experienced Danilo.
Danilo 'on verge' of Juve exit amid Man United reports
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The 33-year-old is now in the final year of his contract with Juventus, meaning that he is free to engage in pre-contract discussions with foreign clubs from January onwards before a possible free transfer in 2025.
Rather than let Danilo go for nothing next summer, the report suggests that Juventus would consider a sale in January, although a one-year option in his contract can be triggered based on his performances.
Regardless, Danilo is apparently 'on the verge' of leaving the Bianconeri, and his representatives have already been offering him to numerous teams across Europe, including Man United.
The Brazil international spent two seasons with Man United's bitter rivals Manchester City from 2017 to 2019, winning two Premier League titles before joining Juve in a deal that saw Joao Cancelo move in the opposite direction.
Danilo has now made 207 appearances for Juventus across all competitions, scoring nine goals and setting up 13 more, and he has played 10 times for Thiago Motta's team in the current campaign.
Why do Man United want to sign Danilo?
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The INEOS blueprint at Old Trafford so far has been centred around recruiting young talent, and even though Danilo may still have a few good years left in him, he is certainly not young for a footballer.
The 33-year-old's arrival would therefore raise a few eyebrows, but he boasts title-winning experience in Spain, England and Italy, and Amorim apparently feels that he would be a solid defensive option to have.
Danilo also wears the captain's armband for Juventus and could therefore be a useful addition to Man United's leadership group, while also potentially covering for any defensive departures next summer if he signs on until 2026 or 2027.
Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof could all head for the exit door when the summer transfer window rolls around, complicating matters for Amorim if he does persist with his tried-and-tested 3-4-3 system.
Yoro, Martinez and De Ligt should be the manager's first-choice defensive line, but Danilo would be a competent backup option and useful stop-gap signing if Man United decide to prioritise other areas of the pitch in 2025.
Ben Knapton
