Fabio Vieira was one of the players who failed to impress last season. The 2022 signing from FC Porto should have excelled last season, based on his £34 million fee to join Arsenal. His price tag aside, the 23-year-old’s stats in his final months with the Portuguese powerhouse, which saw him record 14 assists in 27 games, earned him the moniker “Assist King,” leading Gooners to assume they had landed a top player.
However, in 22 league games last season, Vieira failed to shine or impress, and many questioned his abilities. Given that it was his first season in the Premier League and he was coming off an injury when he joined Arsenal, it was understandable why he didn’t shine.
Even so, next season he ought to step up and check in on his defensive aspect of the game, as Arteta asked of him last season: “Every time he’s around the box, he’s a real threat, really intelligent player, and brave. In defending, he still needs to do more and understand it more because organisation is key when you play against good teams in ball possession.”
So, where does the Portuguese fit in the Arsenal jigsaw puzzle, even as we urge him to step up? Martin Odegaard is undroppable; Kai Havertz and Smith Rowe are most likely ahead of him in the pecking order to play alongside Odegaard as the other No. 8. Trossard is also a candidate for the attacking midfielder position.
It will be difficult for Vieira to break into the Arsenal starting lineup, despite a good showing yesterday against Monaco, and if Arteta is wise, perhaps he should allow Fabio to leave on loan, hopefully to an English club, in a move that can help him adapt to the demands of the Premier League.
After which, who knows? When he returns, he might be ready to compete for a starting spot at Arsenal.
Darren N
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