Indeed, let's crack on with the tale of the Brazilian expressionist, often referred to by the less mouthful-worthy moniker, 'Danilo'. Born as Danilo Pereira da Silva in 1999 in that well-known football factory, Brazil, he graced this earth with his footballing presence 26 years ago. Standing at a not overly-imposing 5ft 8in (1.74m) and weighing in at a middling 11st 9lb (74kg), 'Danilo' makes sure the number 99 jersey at the Rangers soaks up a fair punch of sweat.
Starting off on a flyer in the sunnier climes of Santos in Brazil's Série A, 'Danilo' packed his bags for Ajax in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands, a transfer move that set Ajax back a mere £1.8m in August 2017. Then it was time to get his boots dirty, chalking up a solitary appearance in the 2019-2020 season and managing a slightly more impressive run of 13 appearances and two goals in the 2021-2022 season.
Undeterred by the chilling Dutch winds, 'Danilo' took a season-long sabbatical at FC Twente, also in the Eredivisie, in August 2020. This appeared to turn the tide in his favour as he bagged 17 goals in 33 league appearances in the 2020-2021 season before waving goodbye to FC Twente and hello again to Ajax in June 2021 at the completion of his loan spell. Far from groundbreaking, his second stint at Ajax mirrored his first, pulling on the shirt once in the 2019-2020 season and 13 times in the 2021-2022 season, managing two goals in the process.
Unable to resist the temptation of a transfer form, the fleet-footed Brazilian was off again in July 2022, this time to Feyenoord. Here, his boots found their stride, producing ten goals in 34 appearances in the 2022-2023 season, before Scotland's blustery pastures beckoned. In July 2023, with roughly £6m floating between hands, he made for the Premiership north of the border, opting for Rangers.
Life at Rangers can't have been much of a culture shock for the well-travelled 'Danilo'. He's nudged the net nine times over his first two seasons with 35 appearances to his name and has stepped onto the pitch three times this season. With one starting appearance in the League Cup 2025 - 2026, two starting Europa League appearances with a goal to boot in the 2023 - 2024 season and four starting appearances with a solitary goal in the Champions League Qualifiers 2025 - 2026, 'Danilo' has indeed been somewhat present in the side.
But let's not get misty-eyed, folks. He might wear the number 99 jersey, but he's not turned out 99 performances to write home about. Now, let's see what the rest of this season holds for our far-traveled artist from the land of samba, shall we?
