It’s a dream come true for many footballers to arrive at Arsenal, and in Neto’s case that’s no different.
The Brazilian goalkeeper signed for us on transfer deadline day and in high spirits at Sobha Realty Training Centre following the completion of his loan move from Bournemouth.
“I’m really, really happy,” he said. “I’m realising a dream in my life, a dream come true, and I’m really, really happy.
“We always want to go forward, to move forward in our life, it was my objective as well. Always when I receive the opportunities I don’t like to lose the opportunities. So I receive the opportunities, I try to understand everything that’s coming in a positive way and I have to enter the train.”
The 35-year-old shot-stopper has played for some of Europe’s biggest clubs across his career so far, including Fiorentina, Juventus, Valencia and Barcelona.
“I’m a really lucky person to be fair, I could play in the biggest clubs, huge clubs but I had two dreams as a kid to play football, to play in a football team,” he added. “It was my team in Brazil, where I grew up and became a professional footballer, and also Arsenal. And now I’m realising it! I’m a really lucky person.
“It came from when I was younger, watching the team. Bergkamp, Edu, Gilberto Silva when they won the league, and Thierry Henry. When I was growing up, my generation was watching them giving that unbelievable game, and I always dreamed to play here.
“I had the opportunity to train here a few times in the training ground and I always kept that feeling in my mind, and now I’m realising it!”
Neto is no stranger to playing at Emirates Stadium, having been on the receiving end of a Reiss Nelson 97th minute winner against the Cherries in March 2023.
“I remember that day – my family came to watch the game, my two kids and my wife – and we played very well against Arsenal, they were in first place in the table as well,” he recalled. “I remember when I finished the game, I came home and we were struggling in the table and I just thought to myself that I wanted to get into a hole and not get out, because we had the opportunity [to win] and then it was gone.
“It was a really nice game, and now to be on this side, to be able to enjoy and try to give some important achievements to this club, it’s amazing.
“To all the supporters of Arsenal, I’d just like to say I’m one more fan here. My dream has come true, I’m really happy and depend on me, I’ll give more than 100% to give everything for Arsenal.”
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
