Udinese Brazilian defender wants to play for Italy

As the debate surrounding foreign-born players, or ‘Oriundi’, featuring for the Italian national side rumbles on, Udinese’s Brazilian centre back Danilo has made himself available for any potential call-up to the Azzurri.

Having arrived on the Peninsula from Brazil side Palmeiras, the defender does have an Italian passport and has officially declared himself ready to wear the blue shirt of La Nazionale.

“Just like in Brazil, Italy loves controversy,” he told the offical Udinese web site. “It’s on the pitch where you have to make the difference and Italy won the World Cup with [Mauro] Camoranesi.”

“If [Antonio] Conte asks me to play I would be delighted because I think I could be useful.

“Italian football has changed. It is more attack-minded and we don’t see players like [Franco] Baresi or [Paolo] Maldini anymore.”

The nation has been gripped of late with the inclusion of ‘Oriundi’ Franco Vazquez and Eder in the current Azzurri squad, neither of which were born in Italy.