Out of the blue, Arsenal are close to completing a €40 million move for young Portuguese sensation, Fabio Vieira.
Youri Tielemans here and Gabriel Jesus there, surely no one saw this one coming from Edu and Mikel Arteta as even the top media outlets were caught unaware.
There were no links or speculations and boom, the 22-year-old is on his way to London for medical examinations ahead of signing a five year contract with the Gunners.
Vieira has a release clause of €50 million but Edu has managed to struck a deal with Porto without offering up to the players release clause.
His arrival at Arsenal means Arteta now has a wealth of creative players at his disposal, with Martin Ødegaard already well settled in North London following a season where he was voted the club’s second best player of the season.
Fabio Vieira is the kind of player who most often enjoys roaming around the right halfspace as an interior or a number 10 but comfortably plays deeper.
Most times, he is played on the wings and as well behind the striker in the concluded season albeit he wasn’t an out-and-out starter. He is a highly technically gifted player and enjoys coming onto his left from the right while searching for the devastating final pass.
Vieira is extremely sharp and processes attacks at high speed and with vision to match, a dream for any attacker. He is a good dribbler with deft touches that makes you draw him parallel to his countryman in the blue side of Manchester, Bernardo Silva.
His attacking prowess has also seen him return 20 goal contributions, six goals and 14 assists in only 1329 minutes of action in the Portuguese League last season.
He created 14 big chances for his teammates, which is more than managed by any Arsenal player having played 27 games of which he started only 15.
Given he can play multiple roles in midfield and attack, his arrival will give needed rest to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, both who were overplayed last season despite the Gunners playing literally only one competition.
The return to Europe means more games and Arsenal do really need squad in depth. Vieira is as capable as any of Arsenal’s playmaker so and he will get enough time to fight and convince for a starting spot in the team.
Moreso, his signature has no impact on the Youri Tielemans deal and the Gunners will continue the pursuit of the Leicester City midfielder, who is one of their main target for the summer alongside Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus to Arsenal is really close as it appears progress was made on Thursday and with the international break done with, the deals could be finalized in the coming days.
Vieira though is expected to arrive in London for his medical on Friday and Arsenal look ready to splash the cash this summer.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
