Dutch outlet Voetbal International has reported that NEC Nijmegen have identified Rangers striker Danilo as a potential option as they search for a new centre forward - a development that adds another layer to the Brazilian’s uncertain situation at Ibrox.
The Eredivisie side are understood to be exploring attacking reinforcements and have placed the 26-year-old among their list of candidates.
On the surface, it is an intriguing link, though the financial mechanics of any deal would appear to make a permanent move unlikely at this stage.
Danilo joined Rangers in the summer of 2023 under Michael Beale in a deal worth around €6 million from Dutch side Feyenoord – where he reunited with Cyriel Dessers, arriving with a strong scoring pedigree and the profile of a mobile, modern number nine.
Across 76 senior appearances for the club, he has contributed 16 goals and 11 assists, in addition to a solitary goal in one outing for the B team. He also has a League Cup winners medal from 2023.
However, his time in Glasgow has been defined as much by interruption as impact. A succession of injuries has disrupted his rhythm and curtailed any sustained run in the side.
A broken cheekbone early in his Rangers spell, picked up whilst scoring away to St Johnstone, was followed by two significant knee issues, one of which kept him sidelined for more than five months. The cumulative effect has been a stop-start career at Ibrox, with periods of promise repeatedly followed by enforced absences.
There have been flashes of quality. Danilo found the net against Celtic in last season’s dramatic Scottish League Cup final and scored the third goal in a 3–0 win at Ibrox last January.
He also got on the scoresheet against Dundee at the weekend. Yet consistency has proven elusive, and this season’s return of four goals and two assists in 28 appearances reflects a player still searching for form and physical sharpness.
At 26 and with two-years remaining on the former Brazil U23 international’s deal, there is a growing sense that Rangers and head coach Danny Rohl must make a decision.
Reports suggest the club are actively looking to recruit a new centre forward this window, with Danilo currently behind other targets in the pecking order. That context inevitably fuels speculation over his future.
NEC’s interest comes with caveats. The Dutch club’s transfer record stands at €1.75 million, and Danilo’s current market valuation is believed to be at least €2 million.
Wages would present an additional hurdle, meaning a loan arrangement, potentially with Rangers subsidising part of his large salary, appears the most realistic structure if talks were to progress.
There is also said to be interest from Brazil and Copenhagen, widening the field of potential suitors. After a Rangers career marked by what might have been, a change of environment could suit all parties, offering Danilo a chance to reset, and Rangers an opportunity to reshape their forward line.