Football
Adriana Garcia 7y

Neto: I can help Valencia return to former glory

Brazilian goalkeeper Neto has vowed to give his all to his new club Valencia and help the La Liga outfit return to its former glory.

Valencia are eager to bounce back from 12th-place finishes the past two seasons and have strengthened their backline with the signing of Neto from Juventus for an undisclosed fee.

Neto put pen to paper on a four-year contract with Los Che, with an €80 million buyout clause set in the deal.

"I've come to spread positive vibes to this team," the 27-year-old told Marca. "I'm here to help the team.

"I saw many Valencia games last year and I was surprised by the team's [low] position in the standings.

"I didn't understand because Valencia have good quality players. I know things will improve. I just hope I can do a good job and take Valencia to the place it deserves."

Neto said he could not turned down the opportunity to join Valencia, six-time La Liga champions and two-time Champions League finalists.

"From the moment I knew there was the possibility to arrive here, I did everything I could to sign for this club," he said. "This is a very important step in my career.

"I'm really motivated with this opportunity I've been given."

Neto was Gianluigi Buffon's understudy at Juventus and made just 11 Serie A appearances since joining the Turin giants from Fiorentina in 2015.

He leaves Italy seven-and-a-half years after arriving to Florence from Atletico Paranaense.

"I'll need some time to adapt to La Liga," Neto said. "But I have a month to prepare and I don't think it will take me that long to get used to it.

"The most important thing is that I transmit confidence to my teammates."

Neto is looking forward to competing with compatriot Diego Alves for a starting place at Valencia if the latter remains at the Mestalla stadium this summer.

Valencia are reportedly hoping to sell Alves, who kept six clean sheets in 33 league starts for Valencia in the 2016-17 campaign and holds a La Liga record of 24 penalty saves.

Under contract with Valencia until June 2019, the 32-year-old Alves recently admitted he would welcome a move to Flamengo.

"I know him very well as we have coincided in the national team," Neto said of Alves. "I spoke to him and he welcomed me with open arms. I respect Diego Alves.

"I told him that for me what he has done at Valencia few can achieve. Whatever happens regarding his future it's up to him and the club and I'm not going to get involved.

"I'm just here to give my all and transmit confidence to my teammates."

Valencia appointed Marcelino as their sixth coach in two years in May and began working on Sunday at their preseason training camp in Evian les Bains, France.

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