Signed in 2023, now worth move than Awoniyi: Nottingham Forest struck gold

Nottingham Forest have recruited players from all over the globe since their return to the Premier League for the 2022/23 season. The Reds claimed promotion under Steve Cooper after beating Huddersfield Town 1-0 at Wembley in the play-off final.

The club have completed 34 signings since promotion – the most of any side in the top division but they have been hit-and-miss with those additions, with Forest having a huge turnover of players in recent months.

Within the 34 additions, the club have signed players from nations such as Germany, Portugal, France and Spain – with the Reds having a wide scouting range to help with recruitment.

However, Forest have had an influx of Brazilians arrive on Trentside since promotion, with the likes of Murillo, Felipe, Gustavo Scarpa and Renan Lodi all featuring in the Premier League over the last 18 months.

There’s one more Brazilian player the club has purchased since promotion, with box-to-box midfielder Danilo proving to be a solid addition to the Forest squad.

Danilo’s time at Nottingham Forest

Despite interest from fellow Premier League side Arsenal at the time, the energetic Brazilian midfielder decided on a move to join Forest, with the 22-year-old joining the club for £16m during the January window in 2023.

His arrival at the City Ground was a promising one, given the competition the club had fended off in order to win the midfielder’s signature. He made his debut as a substitute during the 1-1 draw away at Bournemouth, with Danilo quick to impress the Forest fanbase.

Danilo quickly established himself as a starting midfielder under Cooper, often playing deeper alongside the likes of Ryan Yates and Orel Mangala – with the Brazilian the perfect fit for a box-to-box midfielder.

Following his assist in the 1-1 draw at home to Wolves, the Brazilian started the remaining ten Premier League encounters – a run that saw him capture his best run of form in a Forest shirt.

Indeed, he scored in three successive games against Brighton, Brentford and Southampton, as the Brazilian played a vital role in helping the club secure their Premier League status ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Danilo endured a stop-start period at the start of this campaign. However, a combination of Mangala’s departure to Lyon and Ibrahim Sangare’s time at the African Cup of Nations, he’s enjoyed a successful run of games under boss Nuno Espírito Santo.

Since Nuno’s arrival on December 20th, the Brazilian has started six of the ten games the former Wolves boss has taken charge of, with Danilo showing glimpses of his form from last season, notably shining against Manchester United in the FA Cup, putting in his best display under the new boss just a few days ago.

His market value of £26m impressively happens to be £9m more than Forest teammate Taiwo Awoniyi, with the Nigerian’s figure of £17m staying the same as the fee he was signed for since his arrival back in July 2022. At the time, that happened to be a record buy for the Reds.

The Brazilian midfielder has developed significantly during his time at the club, with his market value only going to increase further as he plays more and more games in the Premier League. He is one of multiple players the club have invested in, that could result in a huge profit in the years to come.

Brennan Johnson, who came through the Reds’ academy, was sold for £47.5m during the summer – a figure that broke the club’s record departure.

Not that any Forest fan would want to hear it, but the club have a plethora of young talents that could see the club make a lorry load of money in the years ahead to help sustain their FFP status.

Danilo, Murillo, Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White were seen as risks at relatively substantial fees. However, they’re all under the age of 23, with the quartet’s value skyrocketing since their respective moves to the City Ground

Danilo, who is joint with Elanga and Gibbs-White for market value, definitely has the potential to break the club’s record sale, with the Reds currently sitting on a potential world-class talent just waiting to be sold for a mega figure.

It’s clear that the Brazilian is a player who needs consistent game time to develop, with Danilo currently being given the perfect opportunity to stake his place as a starting player under Nuno. Should he carry on the trajectory he has been on in recent weeks, the sky is the limit for the 22-year-old.