Juventus midfielder Romulo has vowed to come back stronger than ever to repay his club for the faith they have shown in him.
The 27-year-old has featured for only 10 minutes for the Bianconeri since joining them from Hellas Verona in the summer.
On Monday, he underwent surgery on a hernia and will be out for a month, but he says he will more than make up for lost time when he returns.
"I want to thank Juventus for having shown faith in me and for looking after me now," he wrote in a letter published by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"My parents were not able to give me material things, but they did teach me always to give back much more than what I have been given and will be given, and Juve have given and are giving me a lot of good things.
"For me it is a question of character and honour to give back to Juve much more than I am receiving! I don't only mean by playing well, but by being professional and, above all, being a real man!"
The Brazil-born Italy international earned a move to Juve after scoring six and setting up a further eight for Hellas last season. That earned him a call-up to the Italy squad for the World Cup this summer, although he turned down the chance to board the plane to Brazil.
"I cried so much in front of [Italy coach Cesare Prandelli] because it was a dream I had had since I was a child, to play in a World Cup in Brazil," Romulo said during his presentation as a Juve player.
"It was very difficult. We talked for a bit and he asked me if I was feeling fine, but like I've said, my parents have taught me that we've always got to be honest, and so I was honest with him and told him I was still not fine.
"The national team coach had included me in his 23-man squad, but I told him I was only 70 percent fit and that it was not right that somebody who was in better condition had to be left out."