Transfer profile: Fabio Vieira
Transfer profile: Fabio Vieira
Player history
He joined the Porto academy at the age of eight and his stand-out season at youth level came in the 2018-19 UEFA Youth League.
Porto beat a Chelsea side containing Marc Guehi, Tariq Lamptey, Billy Gimour and Conor Gallagher to win their first title in Switzerland.
Vieira started as a left-sided 8 in an attacking 4-3-3 and scored the opening goal in a 3-1 victory.
He would have to wait over a year for his first appearance for the senior side, however, coming on as a late substitute in a 1-0 home defeat to Maritimo in the Primeira Liga.
That debut came at the end of the Covid-19 impacted 2019/20 season, as Vieira finished with eight appearances and one goal for the eventual champions.
He did not kick on massively in 2020/21, having been limited to just 390 minutes of action, most of which came from the substitutes bench.
So to say he exceeded expectations last season would be an understatement. He netted seven times and weighed in with 16 assists in all competitions, including a cute cross for Mehdi Taremi in a Champions League tie against Liverpool.
But arguably his greatest achievements to date have come for his country’s youth sides.
He was named in the Team of the Tournament as Portugal finished runners-up to Spain in the 2019 European Under-19 Championship.
He then went one better two years later, winning the Player of the Tournament prize as Portugal again lost the decider, this time to Germany.
Type of player
Mesut Ozil, Martin Odegaard, Bernardo Silva. Those are the three players Vieira has been likened to since news of his impending transfer first broke. Taking each name in turn can help to build a better picture of the type of player Arsenal are acquiring.
As an exciting and creative left-footer, there are certainly shades of Ozil in Vieira’s game.
His assist numbers especially give cause to compare Vieira to Arsenal’s former no. 10. Like Ozil, most of his minutes have come as a central attacking midfielder, but he often drifts towards the right flank before driving infield.
To further extend the similarities between the pair, Vieira’s best attribute would seem to be his passing and he has also produced the bounce-shot which Ozil became known for while in north London.
Another factor in Arsenal’s pursuit of Vieira is his versatility. The 22-year-old has figured as a second striker, No. 8 and on both wings since breaking into Porto’s first team.
Fellow left-footer Odegaard is equally adaptable, and it would be interesting to see where the pair are positioned when starting together.
Standing at 5 ft 7, Vieira is an inch shorter than Bernardo, but he certainly doesn’t fall short of the Manchester City star for work-rate.
Porto head coach Sérgio Conceição is regarded as a disciplinarian, in the same mould as Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, and would not pick attacking stars if they failed to contribute to the team’s defensive efforts.
To assess the level of industry that Vieira might bring, Arsenal fans could look at Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, who joined from Porto in January and quickly became a fans-favourite in light of his passion and desire.
Where he could fit in
With Bukayo Saka seemingly having the right side of Arsenal’s attack nailed down and Odegaard starring in a central role, it’s difficult to see where Vieira could immediately fit in.
But adding depth to Arsenal’s forward options could prove key in a season which will see them return to Europe.
With Nicolas Pepe expected to leave the club this summer, Vieira could well be his replacement, having previously been deployed on the right for club and country.
Saying that, Arsenal have also been linked with Leeds’ Raphinha, and if Pepe does depart soon it will be interesting to see whether Arteta also makes a move for the in-demand Brazilian.
Also capable of playing as a No.8, Arteta could use the young Portuguese in a 4-3-3 system, should he deviate from his default 4-2-3-1 formation.
Arsenal fans should be patient with their latest signing, given his age and lack of Premier League experience, and he may be integrated slowly, beginning with Europa League group stage games.
The signing may take a while to pay-off, but Vieira could dazzle at the Emirates for years to come.
