A knee injury ruined Daniel De Silva’s first year at Roda JC, but the winger is fully fit for the start of the season and looking to impress.
- By Michael Bell
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De Silva was born in Perth, Australia and signed for local side Perth Glory in 2013 from amateur club FW NTC, despite interest from Premier League side Everton, who saw a move for the youngster fall through at the last minute. De Silva made his debut for Perth Glory at the age of 15 and went on to appear 33 times for the club, scoring three goals.
Italian giants Roma were set to sign the attacker, but after agreeing a €2.5 million deal the transfer was cancelled due to Perth Glory not receiving a payment. The move falling through allowed Roda JC to swoop, with De Silva joining the club on a two-year loan deal. De Silva made his Eredivisie debut against FC Twente in September and appeared seven more times before a knee injury ended his season early.
The Australian returned to full fitness in the summer and has played a prominent role in pre-season as he looks to make an impression next season.
Style of play
De Silva started his career as an attacking midfielder, but has been used on the wing so far by Roda JC. The youngster has good technique on the ball, a varied passing range and a great first touch. He possesses good pace and dribbling skills but looked a little lightweight during last season. De Silva has looked to bulk up over the summer, going through a rigorous training regime to prepare himself for the new season and should be more suited to playing against European defences.
What to expect from De Silva this season
The pint-sized 19-year-old is regarded as Australia’s biggest young talent but has yet to showcase his potential in the Netherlands due to his knee injury. De Silva will be eager to get his career back on track and an impressive season will once again put his name in the limelight and alert Europe’s biggest clubs.
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