Feyenoord are under no pressure to cash in on Rangers striker target Danilo with reports suggesting the Eredivisie champions could demand as much as £17 million for the Brazilian.
Arne Slot’s Rotterdam giants need only look at Ajax to remind themselves of the dangers of selling one or two players too many.
Ajax went from first to third in the space of just 12 months. 14 points worse off in 2022/23 than they were in 2021/22. Ajax lost Lisandro Martinez, Sebastien Haller, Antony, Daley Blind, Noussair Mazraoui, Ryan Gravenberch and Nicolas Tagliafico – not to mention Erik ten Hag and director Marc Overmars – while failing to replace any of them adequately.
If Feyenoord are to avoid a dramatic drop-off of their own, after winning only their second Eredivisie title since the turn of the century, much will depend on whether they can keep a talented crop of players together.
The good news is that Arne Slot is staying; committing his future to De Kuip after approaches from Leeds, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Feyenoord have lost captain Orkun Kokcu to Benfica for £25 million. But, according to Algemeen Dagblad, the Turkish international’s departure should be the end – rather than the start – of a potential post-title exodus.
Feyenoord may decide to keep Rangers target Danilo
There is interest from Rangers in Danilo, and RB Leipzig in Lutsharel Geertruida.
But, after banking nearly £30 million from Kokcu’s sale, AD say that there is no pressure to cash in on another. Both Danilo and Geertruida could be retained, unless someone, somewhere, is willing to splash out an eye-watering 20 million euros on the duo.
Rangers certainly won’t be doing that.
The Glasgow giants saw an opening bid of £3.5 million rejected this week (Scottish Sun). Rangers may be able to stretch to £6 or £7 million, but their hopes may rest on whether Feyenoord decide to cash in on a player who scored 14 goals last season but lost his place in the starting XI after Christmas.
Feyenoord could still opt to let Danilo go. But that will be a decision made out of desire, rather than necessity.
“If you want to play ‘total football’, then Danilo is a perfect player for that,” Gers legend Ronald de Boer tells the Daily Record.
“Danilo is more about movement and pressing high. If you want to play high pressing football and you want to link up, then Danilo is the perfect guy.”
