'Danilo' Pereira da Silva, born 7th April 1999 in the country that simply oozes footballing talent - Brazil, if you were unaware. Now 25 years of age, he's currently signed up with none other than our Edinburgh nemesis, the Rangers. Trade name is forward striker; standing at a modest 5ft 8in (1.74m) and tipping scales at a well-fed 11st 9lb (74kg). Wearing the slightly ostentatious number 99 on his shirt. Always the showman, eh?
Our Brazilian lad started his European tour in August 2017. Santos, in Brazil's glittering Série A, gave a tearful farewell as little 'Danilo' set sail for Ajax in the tulip land - Netherlands. The transfer fee, you ask? A cool £1.8m.
In the seasons 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 at Ajax, he graced their pitch a whole 14 times and even managed to net himself a pair of goals.
Then, in a scene straight from a Shakespearean drama, summer 2020 saw 'Danilo' loaned to FC Twente, still in tulip land. His stint at FC Twente saw quite a bit more action; Running around their turf 33 times, scoring an impressive 17 goals in the 2020 - 2021 season.
Returning to Ajax on the completion of his loan in June 2021, the season of 2021 - 2022 saw him back where he started, showing the Dutch crowd that he had 2 goals still left in him.
His transfer merry-go-round didn't end there. July 2022 marked his move to Feyenoord, and in the super original 2022-2023 season, he ran around the pitch 34 times and scored a decent 10 goals.
Then in a turn of events that leaves a bad taste in our mouths, he went ahead and transferred to the Rangers in our own Premiership, in July 2023. The cost of this betrayal? A round £6m.
In his first season with the Rangers, he trotted onto their pitch 12 times knocking four goals into their nets. This current season, 2024 - 2025, he has staged 16 appearances and landed five goals.
Oh, and just in case you're interested, he turned up in the League Cup 2024 - 2025 for Rangers, with one goal across three appearances, and the Europa League 2023 - 2024, scoring one goal from his measly three appearances.
Quite the journey for our Brazilian friend. Forgive me if my enthusiasm doesn't quite match yours.
