Could Chelsea rejuvenate Danilo after difficult stay at Real Madrid?

                                   Danilo joined Real Madrid just two years ago but could he now be on his way to Chelsea? 

"We always work towards finding excellence. Only a few have the privilege to defend this jersey. We want the best players in this club. Danilo is a magnificent player that has already made his mark."

As endorsements go, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's assessment of their new signing just two years ago was glowing and little wonder.
At just 19, Danilo scored a Copa Libertadores final winner - after Neymar got the first - to give Santos the trophy for the first time in half a century with a 2-1 win over Penarol.

The right-back marked leaving his teens with victory at the U20 World Cup in 2011 and his senior debut for Brazil - against Argentina, no less - was his reward.
By the time he had claimed a silver medal at the London Olympics, Porto had won a bidding war with Benfica to secure Danilo's services for a fee of £11.8m.

Danilo scored a winner in the final of the 2011 Copa Libertadores for former club Santos against Penarol

In the three years which followed, he made the right flank at the Estadio do Dragao his own.
Establishing himself as a first-team mainstay, his energetic performances and ability to probe from deep positions justified his blossoming reputation.

Indeed, it wasn't long before Danilo was mooted as a long-term replacement in the Brazil team for Dani Alves and with that came links to bigger clubs.

Barcelona were one, Real Madrid another. All the while, the young man from the humble farming town of Bicas in the state of Minas Gerais took everything in his stride.

Danilo blossomed in three years at Porto following his move to Portugal from Brazil

"I'm happy to be associated with big clubs like Real Madrid. It's natural there's speculation but I'm completely focused on the national team and Porto," he said in March 2015.

Less than a month later came news a deal had been struck for Danilo to move to the Bernabeu in the summer for £23m and given his rapid rise, it looked to be money well spent.
If you stopped there, the likelihood would be much excitement among Chelsea fans at the possibility of Stamford Bridge being the now 26-year-old's next port of call.

And yet, if an agreement is reached for him to become the Italian's latest recruit, the reality is Danilo will arrive in London as damaged goods.

Antonio Conte is understood to be keen on adding Danilo to his squad at Chelsea for next season

The timing of his move to Spain coincided with Rafael Benitez's short reign at the club and that meant a troubled start.

By January 2016, seven months after his appointment, Benitez had been sacked with his team third in La Liga, albeit only four points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid.

Real fans, as they so often do, were looking for a scapegoat and just as the likes of Gareth Bale had been targeted previously, Danilo came into focus.

Against the league's weaker teams, his powerful running and knack for picking out team-mates in good attacking positions came to the fore.

In games with Spain's better sides, however, Danilo struggled defensively, particularly as Barcelona ran amok in a thumping 4-0 El Clasico defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.

 

Danilo was given a torrid time by Neymar and Barcelona in El Clasico as the visitors won 4-0 at the Bernabeu

Zinedine Zidane was appointed as Benitez's replacement and that resulted in less opportunities for the former Porto player.

When he did play, ill-feeling often rolled off the terraces and after a poor display in a 2-0 Champions League loss at Wolfsburg, Danilo was booed in the following game with Eibar.

The criticism was so fierce it drew support from his main rival at right-back, Dani Carvajal, with the Spaniard claiming the reaction from fans had been "extremely unjust".

He said: "Against Wolfsburg, we all played badly and are all in the same boat. If you whistle a team-mate, you whistle all of us."

 

Zinedine Zidane has spoken out in defence of Danilo on a number of occasions after criticism from Real Madrid fans

Zidane too spoke out, adding: "Every player here is criticised at some time but, of course, it bothers you when it's your turn.

"Danilo is a professional and he knows what he has to do. He's a good kid and we all care a lot about him. We're going to forget about it now."

Danilo's response was good. In his next match against Villarreal, he assisted Luka Modric's goal in a 3-0 win and grew in confidence after a nervy start.

"I am here for whatever Madrid need," he said afterwards. "I'm working to convince the people they need me. I'm one more soldier for the fans.

"Everyone has difficult moments but the way you take them on is what makes you great. I've signed for six years. I expect to stay for those and more.

"Madrid paid because they trusted in my potential and my work. I'm sure I can justify their faith."
Since then, it's difficult to present a case for him having done that and Zidane's attempt to draw a line under disapproval from some has ultimately failed.