Douglas delighted with Netherlands call up

FC Twente defender Douglas has expressed his delight at being called up to the Netherlands squad for the first time.

The Brazilian-born player acquired Dutch citizenship at the end of last year after choosing to turn his back on representing his nation of birth, and he could not hide his excitement at being handed a spot in Louis van Gaal's side after a lengthy legal process.

After taking part in his first Oranje training session on Monday, he told ANP: "I'm very happy, this is such a special, special day. I had to do so much to become a Dutch citizen.

"I'm glad I'm here now, I've studied hard. It has lasted about three years and everything was difficult. But now my Dutch is a lot better and I know a lot about the country."

The 24-year-old has caught the eye since making his Eredivisie debut in December 2007, with Premier League duo Newcastle United and Fulham reportedly interested in signing the player over the summer.

For now at least, the player is simply excited to be part of the national setup, and voiced his intent to stay in his coach's plans for as long as possible.

"My goal was always to be called up by the Oranje," he said. "Now I have to make sure that I stay here for a long time.

"I must do this by continuing to work hard, especially in the coming days. I will do everything to show that I deserve a place in the squad."