'We'll see' - Injury-ravaged Rangers ace breaks silence on transfer exit as he outlines main Eredivisie hope
The Brazilian frontman has returned to the Dutch top-flight for the first time since leaving Feyenoord for Ibrox in 2023
Injury-prone Rangers striker Danilo has indicated that he would be open to turning his loan spell at NEC Nijmegen into a permanent stay this summer - but insists he still has plenty of work to do to convince the Dutch club to take up their option-to-buy clause.
The Brazilian frontman quit Ibrox in favour of a return to the Eredivisie for the first time in two-and-a-half years after swapping Feyenoord for Glasgow in a deal worth £6m in the summer of 2023. He has endured a frustrating time with the Light Blues, scoring only 16 times in 76 appearances across all competitions.
The 26-year-old’s strugglers have been mainly down to injury setbacks that have limited his game time. So far this season, he has appeared 28 for Rangers but most of those outings have come as a substitute.
So it came as no surprise when the player was shipped out on loan by head coach Danny Rohl less than 24 hours after the January transfer window closed. And Danilo’s time back in the Netherlands has seen him make two cameo appearances from the bench for NEC as he tries to force his way into their starting line-up.
A Dutch top-flight title winner with both Ajax and Feyenoord , Danilo wants to prove to club officials he is worthy of tying down on a long-term deal as he addressed the prospect of making his Eredivisie comeback a permanent one at the end of the season.
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Danilo opens up on Rangers future after Eredivisie return
Speaking to Voetbal International, he said: “We'll see if that happens. It'll take some time, and I've only just arrived. I first have to show what I can do and convince the club to exercise that option. Hopefully, we have some exciting months ahead of us.
“Every player wants to be in the starting line up and be important. I also came here to give it my all and play as much as possible, but the coach decides.
“I can only train hard to show him what I can do. I'm quite happy to have played so many minutes already. I don't know yet if I'll start against Ajax, but the coach will see that I'm ready. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to show myself.”
It is easy to forget that Danilo started the season as Rangers first-choice striking option, but he was restricted to just fleeting sub appearances from December onwards and was crying out for a fresh challenge.
Rohl’s decision to bring in German forward Ryan Naderi towards the end of the winter window told it’s own story and it’s now unlikely that Danilo will be presented with the opportunity to add to his Ibrox goals tally beyond the summer.