Manchester United target Danilo 'gives green light' to Real Madrid summer move

Real Madrid have stepped up their negotiations to secure the services of reported Manchester United target Danilo and, according to reports in Spain, the Porto star has told Los Blancos he wants a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

United manager Louis van Gaal is said to be in the market for a right-back to replace out-of-favour defender Rafael at the end of the campaign and several reports have recently claimed the Porto star was on the top of the Dutch boss's shopping list alongside Barcelona's Dani Alves.

Catalan-based newspaper Sport assured earlier in March that Barcelona also want Danilo but claimed that after the club made initial contact to the players' advisers, they decided to end their interest in the 23-year-old star because they believe he is in advanced negotiations to move elsewhere, possibly United or Real Madrid.

And now Spanish newspapers AS and Marca have indicated Danilo's most likely destination is the Santiago Bernabeu.

AS said Danilo could become Real Madrid's first acquisition of the summer after talks between Los Blancos and Porto intensified over the past few days. The Madrid-based newspaper claimed Real Madrid could close the deal for a fee of around €30m (£22m, $33m), after Porto paid Santos €13m to secure Danilo in 2012.

Meanwhile, Marca said Danilo's agent has been in the Spanish capital recently and told the club the Brazilian right-back "has his heart set" on a switch to the Bernabeu.

The reports admitted other clubs, including Barcelona, have approached the player but they believe Danilo's first choice is to move to Real Madrid.

Porto president Pinto Da Costa recently claimed the club would like to keep the Brazilian and even extend his contract at the Portuguese side.

However, Marca understands the player is not likely to put pen to paper on a new deal and with his current one set to expire in summer 2016, Porto will be obligated to negotiate his departure at the end of this season.

The newspaper believes Los Blancos could secure a cut-price deal for Danilo for around €25m.