Danilo exits Rangers for Botafogo loan as sale looks likely
Rangers striker Danilo has left Ibrox for Brazilian club Botafogo on a season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy. The 27-year-old returns to his native Brazil after falling out of favour under Derek McInnes. Fans checking the Rangers game today will note his exit reshapes the Light Blues attacking options as the club continues its summer overhaul.
Key Takeaways
- Danilo joins Botafogo on a year-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy.
- The forward scored 16 goals in 77 appearances for Rangers after arriving in 2023.
- He was out of plans under Danny Rohl and new manager Derek McInnes.
- Former teammates Leon Balogun and Todd Cantwell publicly wished him well.
- A permanent move depends on appearance-related conditions being met.
What happened in the Danilo Rangers exit?
Rangers confirmed Danilo has joined Brazilian side Botafogo on a season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy. The deal returns the striker to his native Brazil and to Rio de Janeiro top-flight football.
According to BBC Sport, Botafogo sit ninth of 20 clubs in the 2026 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A after 19 games. The Ibrox club said the move includes a path to a permanent transfer if conditions are met.
Rangers News reported the 27-year-old still has two years left on his Glasgow contract, but could leave permanently if appearance thresholds are triggered. For more transfer buzz in this lane, see our Bizarre World coverage.
Why did Rangers let Danilo leave now?
Danilo was already out of previous head coach Danny Rohl's plans and spent the second half of last season on loan at Nijmegen. He is also out of the picture under new manager Derek McInnes as Rangers reshape the squad.
He found the net just once in 12 outings with Nijmegen after scoring four goals in 28 appearances for Rangers in the first half of that campaign. Overall, more than half of his Rangers appearances came as a substitute, following an injury-hit start in Scotland.
The Brazilian arrived in the summer of 2023 and scored on his second league appearance in a 4-0 win over Livingston. Five months in, he played a crucial role in Rangers' League Cup success that December.
How will teammates and fans remember his Rangers spell?
Across all competitions he scored 16 times in over 70 appearances in a Rangers jersey, matching the club total of 16 goals in 77 games cited by BBC Sport. Before Ibrox he won two Dutch titles and one Dutch Cup across spells with Ajax and Feyenoord.
Leon Balogun and Todd Cantwell reacted on Instagram as the move was finalised. Balogun wrote "Let's go, brother", while Cantwell simply posted "Let's go."
Everyone at Rangers wished Danilo well for his move to Brazil. Whether the loan becomes a sale will hinge on those appearance conditions, but the immediate story is clear: another high-profile exit as McInnes rebuilds.