Pereira Neves Denilson is a professional football player born on February 16, 1988 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and plays for Arsenal as of 2008.
Pereira Neves Denilson represents Brazil at the international level and captained Brazil’s Under-19 team. He was also a part of the Under-17 Brazilian team that won the South American Under-17 Football Championship in 2005.
Pereira Neves Denilson started his football career at the Sao Paulo football club, where he played 12 games as a defensive midfielder in the 2005-06 season. He, along with his teammates, had won the Copa Libertadores in 2005, following which they won the FIFA Club World Championship as well.
His football skills were spotted by the manager of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, who signed him for the club for £3.4 million in 2006. Arsene Wenger made this move on the last day of the August transfer window, in an effort to strengthen his team’s midfield options after the release of Pires and Bergkamp in 2006. Pereira Neves Denilson was named in Arsenal’s 18-man squad for the team’s third Champions League match against Central Sports Club of Army (CSKA), Moscow on October 17, 2006.
Pereira Neves Denilson was a part of the team in Arsenal’s 2006-07 Carling Cup campaign and made his first-team debut on October 24 in a third round match against West Bromwich Albion. He made his Premiership debut for Arsenal on December 30, 2006 as a substitute against Sheffield United. Pereira Neves Denilson scored his first goal for Arsenal on September 25, 2007 in the Carling Cup third-round fixture against Newcastle United, thus helping his team to secure a 2-0 victory.
Following this good performance, Pereira Neves Denilson was offered a new contract with Arsenal on October 18, 2007 and has been consistent in proving his skills whenever he was given a chance. On October 27, he scored a long-range shot in a Carling Cup match against Sheffield United, thus contributing to the team’s 3-0 win. Pereira Neves Denilson played his first league against Wigan Athletic on November 24, and Arsenal went on to win the match 2-0.
He had been a part of the Arsenal team that emerged the runner-up of the League Cup in 2007. He had also played a role in helping his team win the 2007 Emirates Cup and the Amsterdam tournament in 2007 and 2008.
Pereira Neves Denilson plays football with a lot of dedication and has the natural ability to perform well, which is complemented by his self belief. He is considered to be a good mover of the ball in the midfield and has a good sense of positioning the ball. It is said that he looks to earn a permanent place in the club during the 2008/2009 season.
