I am very happy that I've finally joined up with my new team-mates, I hope as much as possible to help them and I'll work hard to do that.
You passed through the tunnel to greet new players, were you scared?
It is clear that this is a tradition here. But some guys got some decent shots in, so I tried hard to get away! (laughs).
What can you tell us about your transfer? How did the negotiations take place and when did the club first approach you?
I was very impressed when I got a call from my agent and he told me about the interest from Zenit. I got fired up with the idea that I could go to such a club. The talks took place quite smoothly and, in my opinion, there were no problems between the leadership of my former club and my new club. Now I'm here ready to go at the training camp. I have come here with serious intentions, I want to help Zenit achieve certain aims, I want to win trophies, help the team and make history.
Who will you move to St. Petersburg with?
With my Mum and Dad, I don't have a girlfriend yet. I hope I'll find one soon.
Were your club sorry to let you go?
The first contact took place six months ago and when I first heard about it, I really wanted to come to Zenit. My former club gave me no obstacles and as a result I ended up here. Atletico Paranaense have a good academy, the club is investing in the education of young players and lives by it.
Do you know about Mr. Lucescu and his reputation as a coach who successfully works with young Brazilians?
I don't know him personally, but of course, I had heard that about Mr. Lucescu. He's a strong coach and has brought players like Fernandinho and Douglas Costa, so I hope that our work will be very productive.
Different sources have said that there was interest in you from Fiorentina, Monaco and Inter Milan. Is that true?
There was interest from Fiorentina and Monaco, but I did not hear about Inter. Zenit showed the most serious interest and were the only club that really wanted to see me in the starting lineup.
You are only 22 years old, aren't you afraid to move from warm Brazil to cold Russia?
I've noticed the cold and it isn't very comfortable, but I can already see that St. Petersburg is a beautiful city. I've seen only a little bit of it but talking with the other players, they've told me the city is very beautiful, very large and it is possible to live a good life here without any problems, so I think I will be OK.
Have you ever seen such snow before?
I've seen snow, yes, but I've never felt such cold! When I arrived here, I came from 30+ degrees to -7 and honestly, my hands and feet hurt from the cold.
Do you know much about the Russian championship?
We had a training camp in Spain, where we played with Krasnodar, so I already had some idea of the Russian championship. In Brazil, of course, we are aware of this tournament, but not in so much detail.
How did you become a football player in such a small city like Sao Goncalo?
It is really small, but I always dreamed of playing football at the highest level and I was able to get into Atletico Paranaense. I was there for eight years and now I've moved to Zenit, so I'm very pleased.
Giuliano has told us that he once played against you.
Yes, I even scored against his team! He told me that he remembered it. Giuliano is a great player who is doing a great job on the pitch, I hope that I will reach his level one day.
They say you're a really exciting player, is that true?
I must help the midfielder and the team with my defensive duties, but I really like to connect to the attack and score goals, so I hope to please the fans.
Where did you get such a powerful shot?
Some people have inbuilt qualities such as a strong shot on goal and that's what I have. When I discovered this, I began to pay special attention to this skill to develop it even better.
We can also see from YouTube that you have an accurate pass to distance, is this another quality we can hope to see?
Perhaps, this can be called my forte and I try to work on it. I understand that it helps to develop the attack.
Many people are saying you are Witsel's replacement. How do you feel about this?
The competition in the team is high and I have come to fight for a place in the starting lineup. As for Axel, each person tries to do the best for themselves, he has decided the direction of his career and we have to respect his decision.
Do you have any hobbies, away from the pitch?
I like to spend time with family and friends, going to the cinema and restaurants. I love cooking and know how to do churrasco, a special type of steak!
You said that you wanted to have squad number 16, did you get it?
Actually, I wanted number 23, because I wore it at Atletico, but it's taken so I've chosen number 33.
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