Denilson: Ex-Arsenal midfielder wants comeback after six games, three knee ops in four years | OneFootball

Former Arsenal midfielder Denilson is hoping to put significant injury problems behind him and continue his career for another five years.

Denilson joined Arsenal from Sao Paulo in 2006 and was on their books for seven years, though he spent the last two back on loan at the Tricolor Paulista.

However, the 32-year-old has made just six appearances in professional football since August 2016, undergoing three knee operations in that time.

Five of his outings came in 2016 while on loan from Al Wahda at Cruzeiro, who, after being relegated from Brazil's top flight for the first time in their history last year, will start the 2020 Serie B season with a six-point deduction after failing to clear a debt relating to the deal to sign Denilson.

After two years off the pitch he joined Botafogo-SP for their 2019 campaign but was released in April of that year due to fitness issues, his sole appearance consisting of 15 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Red Bull Brasil in the Campeonato Paulista.

Denilson has been without a club since and is desperate to return to the professional arena.

He told EPTV: "I went through sad moments, I kept it to myself and that is bad, but I never gave up. I want to have another five years [in my career] and that's what I intend to do.

"I want to continue playing professionally and really only after that look for something else to do.

"I want to work, to do what I love, because that's what I know how to do. For me, playing at Emirates Stadium is the same as playing at Botafogo-SP's stadium.

"I want to be playing regardless of whether it's on a good or bad pitch. The important thing is to be on the field, doing my job."