Porto announce €40m sale of Fabio Vieira to Arsenal
Porto have confirmed the transfer of midfield playmaker Fabio Vieira to Arsenal for €40m.
The 22-year-old Portugal U21 international will become Mikel Arteta’s second signing of the summer after the club completed a deal to bring teenage sensation Marquinhos to north London from Sao Paulo. New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner also links up with Arsenal, but his move was confirmed in February.
Vieira rose to meteoric prominence in the Portuguese top flight last season after recording the joint-most assists (14) alongside Pedrinho of Gil Vicente, despite playing just 1,327 minutes. In 27 appearances for Porto, he scored six goals, created 34 chances 14 Big Chances, and completed 21 take-ons. He also featured consistently in Europe, playing the Champions League and Europa League last term.
A lithe, diminutive playmaker, Vieira has all the technical qualities to thrive in Arteta’s youthfully-exuberant side, capable of playing central midfield, as a No. 10 or even up front as either a shadow striker or a false nine — having done so on five occasions with Porto last term.
The Portuguese club have now confirmed his transfer to Arsenal, revealing the financial details of the deal.
A statement read: “Football Clube do Porto – Futebol, SAD, under the terms of article 248º nº1 of the Securities Code, hereby informs the market that it has reached a principle of agreement with Arsenal FC for the assignment, on a definitive basis, of the registration rights professional football player Fábio Vieira for €40M (forty million euros), of which €5M (five million euros) are dependent on the achievement of sporting goals. finalized and is expected to be implemented in the next few days.”
