Mikel Arteta has now made it clear that Fabio Vieira remains in his plans at Arsenal.
Fabio Vieira is edging closer to a return to action for Arsenal, and has travelled with the first team squad to face Porto.
The Portuguese midfielder has not been seen in red and white since late November, as after picking up a red card against Burnley, he then underwent groin surgery which has kept him on the sidelines ever since.
In general, though, even when he has been fit, Vieira has struggled to make much of an impression at the Emirates Stadium. All too often, matches seem to pass him by. Despite his obvious talent, he has regularly failed to stamp his authority on games.
Vieira is now expected to return to action very soon, and could even take to the field against Porto.
Mikel Arteta firm on future of Fabio Vieira at Arsenal
When he does return, he has to start impressing quickly, and show that he can be a valuable contributor in this Arsenal team. What remains of this current campaign may well represent something of a last chance saloon for Vieira at Arsenal. After all, he joined the Gunners from Porto in a deal worth £34 million back in the summer of 2022. The 23-year-old has had plenty of time now to get to grips with the Premier League and to start showing consistency at that level.
There have been flashes of quality. Even earlier this season, he produced excellent assists when making cameos off the bench against Manchester United and Fulham. However, in this Arsenal team, that should be looking to chase down the top prizes in the game over the course of the next few seasons, irregular snapshots of quality are not enough to sustain a place in the squad.
Despite these concerns, Mikel Arteta remains adamant that Vieira will come good for the Gunners. Speaking in his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Vieira’s former club, Porto, on Wednesday evening, the Spanish coach said, “really happy with him but at the same time sad because just as he was building some momentum he got injured just like last season. He’s a player with enormous talent and we will get the best out of him,” as quoted by football.london.
Clearly, the manager is still convinced that Vieira has something to offer the north London club on a long-term basis. Whether he is proven correct remains to be seen, but his track record in the Emirates Stadium dugout suggests that he ought to be trusted on such matters.
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