Arsenal have agreed a deal with Bournemouth to sign experienced goalkeeper Neto on a season-long loan, according to David Ornstein.
The Brazilian shot-stopper has been brought in by Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta to provide reinforcement and some level of competition to current number one David Raya.
Arsenal’s move for Neto followed a transfer deal with Southampton, which saw Aaron Ramsdale move to the Southwest of London for a fee of £25 million.
Joan Garcia had been identified as Arteta’s prime target to fill the role, but their £18 million offer was rejected by Espanyol, who insisted on a £25m release clause before a deal could be agreed.
According to Fabrizio Romano, it’s a season-long loan deal for Neto with no buy option attached. He will serve as a backup option for Arsenal No 1 David Raya.
Who is Neto?
Norberto Murara Neto, commonly known as Neto, is a Brazilian professional footballer who was born on 19 July 1989. He plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League Club Arsenal on loan from AFC Bournemouth.
The Brazilian shot-stopper grew up in Araxa, Minas Gerais. In a bid to follow his football dream, Neto moved from his club, Cruzeiro, to Athletico Paranaense, where he made his professional debut at age 19. He later left his hometown for Italy, where he achieved collective success with Juventus.
Neto Career
Neto started his career with Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense at the age of 19. He found game time hard to come by in his debut season, playing just twice in the league. Following the departure of the team’s veteran and second-choice goalkeeper, Neto got the first-choice nod. He went on to play 40 times in his second season with the club.
In 2023, he moved to Italian outfit Fiorentina for a £3.5 million transfer fee. His time with the Italian side didn’t see him win any silverware. The 2014 Coppa Italia final loss and the 2014-15 UEFA Europa League semi-final loss were the closest he came to winning a trophy.
He later moved to the North-west side of Italy, spending two years with Italian giants Juventus. At Juventus, he won five trophies, which included consecutive league titles.
Notably, Neto joined Valencia from Juventus and won the Copa del Rey in his two-year spell with the club.
After his spell with Valencia, he joined Barcelona, playing mainly as a second-choice goalie to starting goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen. He spent three years with the Spanish giants, winning the Copa Del Rey. From Barcelona, he joined Bournemouth.
Also, the Brazilian international has only made one appearance for the Selecao and has yet to add to the tally.
Neto Career Stats
Neto has had spells in Brazil, Italy, Spain and England. He made his first professional debut with Athletico Paranaense in Brazil before moving to Europe. In Europe, he played for Fiorentina and Juventus, making 123 games across seven seasons and won five titles across the two clubs.
After his stints in Italy, Neto moved to Spain and played for Valencia and Barcelona. He tallied 101 appearances for the two clubs in five years, winning two titles during his spell there. At Bournemouth, he has made 60 appearances across all competitions.
Arsenal new signing Mikel Merino injured
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the club’s new signing from Real Sociedad has been injured. Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Brighton on Saturday, Arteta confirmed the 28-year-old may likely miss action for weeks.
“it is not a serious issue but he could be out for a few weeks,” Arteta said in a press conference.
Merino reportedly collided with his teammate Gabriel Magalhaes during training, sustaining a shoulder injury. He was expected to make his debut for the club in the match against Brighton but is now sidelined ahead of the clash.
