Born in Salvador, he was in the youth academy of Bahia, before stints at Jacuipense and PFC Cajazeiras, where he was spotted by Palmeiras in 2018. After progressing steadily in Palmeiras' youth ranks, he made his first team Série A debut in 2020 at the age of 19. He was part of the Palmeiras teams who won the Libertadores consecutively in 2020 and 2021, solidifying himself as a stalwart in the middle of the park and becoming a consistent first-team starter.
In 2018, Danilo joined Palmeiras, initially for the under-17s.[3] He progressed through the youth setup, being later a starter for the under-20s before making his first team – and Série A – debut on 6 September 2020, replacing fellow youth graduate Patrick de Paula in a 2–1 away win against Red Bull Bragantino.[6]
On 10 September 2020, Danilo was bought outright by Verdão, signing a permanent five-year contract with the club.[7] He scored his first professional goal on 2 December, netting his team's fifth in a 5–0 Copa Libertadores home routing of Delfín SC.
Nottingham Forest
In January 2023, Danilo joined Premier League side Nottingham Forest for an estimated £16 million fee, signing a six-and a-half-year deal with the English club in the process.[8][9]
On the opening day of the 2024–25 season against Bournemouth, he suffered a leg injury in the 8th minute, which could see him miss the entirety of the campaign.[10]