Nottingham Forest midfielder Danilo is said to be close to joining French side Lyon.
It is set to be a busy summer for the Reds as they tweak head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad in preparation for the 2025/26 campaign. Ins and outs are on the cards, and it seems Brazilian Danilo could be among the first to leave.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on X, Lyon are “closing in” on a move for the 24-year-old. A €25 million (£21m) offer is said to have been made, with the “final green light” required from Forest before the deal can be done.
Danilo made the switch to the City Ground from Palmeiras in January 2023 for a fee in the region of £16-18m. He has made 62 appearances and scored six goals in the Garibaldi.
A popular figure Trentside, he started the 2024/25 season as first-choice in the centre of the pitch, alongside Ibrahim Sangare. However, he sustained a horrible ankle injury just minutes into the opening game against Bournemouth.
A lengthy spell on the sidelines followed before Danilo made his comeback in January. He featured 12 times in the second half of the season but found it tough to regain his starting spot amid no shortage of competition in midfield.
Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis is said to have a good relationship with his Lyon counterpart, John Textor. The Ligue 1 outfit signed midfielder Orel Mangala and centre-back Moussa Niakhate from Forest 12 months ago.
Additionally, the Reds are working to recruit a trio of players from one of Textor’s other clubs. Deals are in the works for Botafogo’s Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha and Cuiabano, with reports from Brazil suggesting Marinakis and Textor have personally overseen the business.
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According to Brazilian publication Globo Esporte, Lyon would pay the fee for Danilo in four instalments. A temporary transfer window opened for Premier League clubs on Sunday and will run until June 10. It will then reopen on June 16 and remain so until September 1.
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