Back in June, Arsenal completed the £34m signing of Fabio Vieira from FC Porto in a shock deal, which seemed to come out of nowhere.
The 22-year-old has been forced to wait patiently for a place in the starting XI under Mikel Arteta, although he grabbed his opportunity with both hands when scoring a wondergoal in the 3-0 win against Brentford on his first start.
Now, a big announcement from Arsenal is likely to see Vieira receive more opportunities.
Fabio Vieira set for more game time at Arsenal
Well, there is sad news coming from Arsenal today as Emile Smith Rowe was forced to undergo surgery, in an attempt to repair a damaged tendon in his groin.
The Gunners have confirmed that his operation was a success, although the England international is now set to spend two months on the sidelines as he recovers from the procedure.
While that is disappointing news for Smith Rowe, it presents Vieira with an opportunity.
Both players operate in an attacking midfield role, so the Portuguese playmaker now finds himself with less competition for a starting berth under Arteta.
Of course, Martin Odegaard will also be vying for the No.10 role if he isn’t required to play deeper, although with nine games on the schedule for Arsenal throughout October, Vieira is surely going to get a lot of football.
Fabio Vieira can thrive at Arsenal
In his first competitive start for the Gunners, Vieira looked like he’d been playing in the Premier League for ages.
The Portugal Under-21 international was confident in possession, always made himself available to receive the ball, and also showed he isn’t afraid to shoot when scoring a screamer in the 49th minute.
With a shrewd tactician in Arteta showing him the ropes – in a system which suits his qualities – we see no reason why Vieira cannot go on to become a huge success at the Emirates Stadium.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
