Danilo exits Rangers for Botofago on loan with sale likely

Rangers striker Danilo has returned to his native Brazil to join top-flight club Botofago on a year-long loan with what the Ibrox club describe as a conditional obligation to buy. The 27-year-old was out of previous head coach Danny Rohl's plans, spending the second part of last season on loan to Nijmegen, and is now also out of picture under new manager Derek McInnes. Botofago currently sit ninth of the 20 clubs in the 2026 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A after 19 games. The Rio de Janeiro club point out that Danilo won two Dutch titles (and one Dutch Cup) during six years with Ajax and one with Feyenoord before his move to Rangers in 2023, when he helped the Ibrox side win the Scottish League Cup. However, the one-time Ajax top scorer found the net just once in 12 outings back in the Netherlands with Nijmegen having scored four in 28 appearances for Rangers in the first half of the season. Overall, he scored 16 goals in 77 games for the Glasgow club, more than half of the appearances being as a substitute, having had an injury hit beginning to his career in Scotland.