Arsenal added four new players to their first team ranks in the recent summer transfer window.
Riccardo Calalfiori of Bologna and Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad both signed for Arsenal on a permanent basis, before Raheem Sterling and goalkeeper Neto both arrived on loan on Transfer Deadline Day.
Unlike his three fellow new signings, though, Neto is yet to make his debut for the Gunners. The shot-stopper won’t be surprised by this state of affairs, though.
Arsenal goalkeeper Neto on turning point
Whilst Neto is unlikely to feature a great deal for Arsenal this season, barring an injury to David Raya, he brings welcome experience to the dressing room.
Prior to joining Bournemouth, he featured for Barcelona and Juventus, amongst numerous other clubs.
However, when he was young it seemed as though he would never make the grade at the highest level due to one physical disadvantage.
Speaking to the official Arsenal website, Neto has reflected upon this early challenge in his career.
The once-capped Brazil international said: “At the beginning of my career I always struggled because I was very small. When I was 12, 13, or 14 I was small and at that moment the goalkeepers in my age group were already very big. I was like a kid next to them, and I needed more time to develop my body.
“When I was about 12, I had to leave my first club because I never got the chance to play. So then I went to Athletico Paranense and they did a lot of tests on my bones to see how tall I would grow potentially.
“Luckily at the time my coaches gave me more time to develop, because normally they want a see a big beast in goal!
“I remember doing a test when I was 12 and it said that basically the age of my body was like an eight-year-old. I was behind the rest, but then I really felt a change when I was about 16 or 17.
“That moment was huge for me. I felt my body change, my game changed and that was the moment I thought, ‘Wow, I could do something here.’ In one year I grew 17 centimetres. It was crazy!’”
Why Arsenal signed Neto
The Brazilian joined on loan from Bournemouth to serve as back up for Raya, who is Mikel Arteta’s clear first choice between the sticks.
On top of that, as Neto is cup-tied in the EFL Cup, he was unable to make his bow against Bolton Wanderers recently, as Arteta rotated heavily for that fixture.
Arsenal needed to sign the 35-year-old this summer, though, after Aaron Ramsdale left the club.
At one stage it looked as though the Gunners would fail to replace Ramsdale, which would have been a disaster with no other senior options on the books to provide back up for Raya, before sporting director Edu Gaspar forced through a move for Neto.
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