There were high hopes for Denilson upon his transfer to Arsenal for £3.4 million in 2006. The midfielder had been captain of every Brazil youth level team he played in up until the under 17s. Arsenal knew they were not buying the finished article at the age of 18, but a player who had the potential to go right to the top of the game. Denilson seemed to fit Arsenal's style of play as he slotted seamlessly into the short passing game at the Emirates and scored a few long range crackers in his first few seasons. Denilson's problems began with his physique and ended with his confidence. The midfielder just wasn't strong enough to play in centre midfield in the Premier League. He was constantly brushed off the ball, exposing Arsenal to the quick counter attack. He lost his confidence completely after a series of bad performances and never really recovered from it. He was initially loaned back to Brazil with Sao Paolo for two seasons before making the move permanent after Arsenal cancelled his contract. Denilson's time at the club coincided with the nine year trophy drought and he wasn't the kind of player to drag them to the next level.
