After finding himself forced to the sidelines through injury and the emergence of Jack Wilshere in the 2010-11 Premier League season, Denilson it was time for him to leave Arsenal. Last summer he returned to his former club Sao Paulo on a year-long loan spell but with his future at the Brazilian side now in doubt, it seems the future is looking bleaker than ever for the 24-year-old.
Declaring a desire for trophies and a return to the national team as his motives behind his return to South America, Denilson originally enjoyed a lot of first team football. With highly-rated Casemiro representing Brazil in the 2011 Under-20 World Cup last summer, his first-team opportunities were unhindered. However, his relationship with the club soon turned negative as he received three red cards in his first nine appearances for the club.
He struggled to adapt to the change in pace of the game as well as the extremely different refereeing standards. The Tricolor faithful bemoaned his petulance as his first dismissal, in just his second appearance, was due to dissent in the closing stages of a match. His relationship with the supporters was soured further last October when he branded the fans of the club as “very, very annoying” for calling from then-manager Adilson Batista’s head.
With Sao Paulo sliding away from the top of the table Batista was given the sack later that month and Emerson Leao was brought in as manager. But despite a regular starting berth, Denilson still failed to impress. His lacking performances coincided with the team’s failure to qualify for the Copa Libertadores after being eliminated in the Copa Sudamericana and finishing sixth in the league.
This year has seen a positive swing in the midfielder’s performances following a long-term injury to 21-year-old midfielder Wellington in February. Denilson has thus stepped into a more pivotal role in the side and his displays throughout the Paulista state championship improved. After finishing second in the league stage of the competition, they were unfortunate to come up against a Neymar shaped wall in the semi-final.
Yet Denilson’s form at the start of the year has begun to endear him to the fans once more. Player and club have now agreed an extension to his loan, in kind, that would see him stay into 2013. But Arsenal have been reluctant to give their approval to the move as they would prefer a permanent transfer or risk losing the player on a free when his contract expires.
The deal was originally due to expire at the end of June but with the Tricolor currently holding a 1-0 lead over Coritiba in the semi-final of the Copa do Brasil, Denilson is likely to be able to stay until next month’s final. Sao Paulo are harbouring no hope that they could even keep the 24-year-old until December, when the current Brazilian league ends.
This makes it clear that he is not wanted at Arsenal and is unlikely to find himself as part of the team again next season. The Gunners will simply offer him around and try to move him on in a permanent transfer in order to raise some funds. Denilson will only be able to stay at the Morumbi if Sao Paulo stump up the cash, but after heavy investment earlier this year it seems Denilson has not done enough to convince the club that he is a worthy signing.
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