Arsenal ace Fabio Vieira explains why Gabriel Martinelli is like ‘a brother’ to him

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Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira has shared some touching details about his friendship with Gabriel Martinelli.

It has taken a while for Fabio Vieira to settle at Arsenal since his £34 million arrival from Porto in the summer of 2022. So far this season, though, he has looked very much at home at the north London club.

Vieira is in excellent form on the pitch. The 23-year-old has already registered two Premier League assists, and made huge contributions from the bench in games against Fulham and Manchester United. He was rewarded for this with a start in the recent north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

Vieira looks to have grown and matured since last season, and Arsenal teammate Gabriel Martinelli has apparently played a key role in helping him adjust to life at the Emirates Stadium.

Like Vieira, Martinelli joined Arsenal at a young age, having never lived or played in England before. He is now an established star at the club, and sharing a common language with Vieira, was an ideal figure to help him settle in.

Vieira and Martinelli bond is benefitting Arsenal

Speaking to the official Arsenal website, Vieira has discussed his friendship with the 22-year-old Brazil international. He said, “I’ve said in some interviews that I like him as a person. He has a great heart and is very humble. From the first day, we had a great connection and I’m sure he’s a friend for life.”

“The Portuguese-speaking players were very important for me in the beginning because the language is very different and they helped me a lot…I have some good friends here. Sometimes when I’m alone I spend time with Martinelli by going to the shops or to London. I see him as family. He’s my friend but I see him as a brother. He’s a good guy for me.”

Mikel Arteta has worked hard to foster a sense of unity at the club, and wants the squad to feel like a family, so will be heartened by the fact that Vieira and Martinelli have developed such a close bond. 

Their off-field friendship may even help them on the pitch. The pair will naturally know one another’s game well, and will routinely look to find eachother. Clearly having such a close friend in the dressing room has also helped Vieira acclimatise to being an Arsenal player, and the £45,385-a-week ace is now beginning to produce his best on the field for the Gunners.