Danilo arrives from Palmeiras
On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 2023 Forest sign Brazilian midfielder Danilo from Palmeiras on a long-term deal.
Danilo’s arrival added another young Brazilian midfielder to Forest’s attempt to establish themselves back in the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest signed him from Palmeiras on a long-term contract, with the fee widely reported at around £18m. He arrived with serious pedigree for a 21-year-old, having already played more than 140 games for Palmeiras and won two Copa Libertadores titles.
The move soon looked more than just a future investment. During the tense 2022–23 survival run, Danilo became one of Steve Cooper’s important late-season players. He scored his first Forest goal in the 3–1 win over Brighton, then struck again in the 4–3 victory over Southampton and the 2–2 draw at Chelsea, giving Forest midfield goals at exactly the point they were fighting to stay up.
His Forest career then became a story of promise interrupted. He added more goals in 2023–24 and remained a useful, energetic midfield option, but the next season began brutally. Against Bournemouth on the opening day of 2024–25, Danilo suffered a broken ankle after landing awkwardly in the opening minutes, with the match held up while he received treatment.
He returned later that season, but the injury had cost him rhythm and his place was harder to reclaim in a stronger Forest squad. In July 2025, Danilo left permanently for Botafogo, ending his time at the City Ground with 62 appearances and six goals.
The signing is remembered as one of the more ambitious moves from Forest’s early Premier League recruitment: a player who genuinely helped the first survival push, but whose later progress was badly disrupted by injury.
Sources
Premier League; Sky Sports; Reuters; ESPN
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Ron Atkinson’s first Forest home match produced a comical dugout mistake that quickly became attached to his short spell at the club. Before Nottingham…
Danilo’s arrival added another young Brazilian midfielder to Forest’s attempt to establish themselves back in the Premier League. Nottingham Forest signed him from Palmeiras…