Neto made three appearances for Bournemouth earlier this season before sealing a dramatic loan switch to Arsenal on transfer deadline day - now the 35-year-old veteran has opened up on the unexpected switch as part of a community visit to a local primary school in Islington
Neto
Neto has paid tribute to his relationship with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya
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Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal goalkeeper Neto has declared the lure of joining the Gunners proved too good to resist - despite his lack of minutes.
The 35-year-old Brazilian is yet to feature for Mikel Arteta's title-chasing side since joining on loan from Bournemouth on transfer deadline day.
However, the ex-Barcelona shot-stopper is patiently waiting in the wings for an opportunity to shine.
He said: "In football, it’s no different to in another career - you always want to get as high as possible. It was a good opportunity, for me Arsenal is a massive club, so I took it."
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Neto also hailed Gunners No.1 David Raya and paid tribute to his strong relationship with the Spaniard, adding: "He's very good.
"He’s also a very nice guy. It’s very easy because we speak the same language so we always recognise the effort of each other and there is always respect between us.
"When you go to the biggest clubs, the competition is always higher. We have to fight for our places. Not just keepers, but in all positions, the quality is very good."
Neto, who greeted three seven and eight-year-old children with William Saliba at a local primary school in Islington, relished the opportunity to give something back to the community after being mobbed by the delighted children.
He said: " Football is about community and passion. The community is who keeps this sport so passionate and I like that. When we do these things for the kids it’s so nice, we can remember our own times when we had the opportunity to stay close with players, it’s a dream come true for these children. I’m a father as well and when we have those connections to the areas, it’s much better."
Neto and William Saliba visited Ashmount Primary School in Islington earlier this week as part of an Arsenal community visit
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Image:
Arsenal FC)
The Cherries loanee, who played the opening two matches of the Premier League season for Andoni Iraola's side before making the dramatic switch that was engineered by Edu, would have been a shoo-in for the Gunners' upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace later this month.
But the Brazil international is ineligible after playing for Bournemouth in a 1-0 defeat at West Ham in the competition back in August.
He said of his current situation: "You have to keep working hard. Every day, you never know when you will have the opportunity so you have to think about yourself and be ready and work hard. Is that hard? I have done this my whole life. I started my career when I was 12 remember, so for us it’s just normal. You follow the routines, the discipline."
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