Arsenal are interested in signing Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira as the Primeira Liga champions fight to tie the youngster down to a new, long-term contract, as reported by Record.
This isn’t the first time the technically gifted Portugal U21 international has emerged on the radar of a Premier League club.
But, with all due respect to Bournemouth, even an underachieving Arsenal side enduring their worst start to a season in four decades feels like a step up.
In June, The Sun reported Eddie Howe’s Cherries had launched a £5 million bid for Vieira’s services – two months before they were relegated from the Premier League.
Flash forward to mid-December and it’s Arsenal now sniffing around.
The skilful 20-year-old has forced his way into Porto’s first team this season. Vieira has featured four times in the Champions League group stages, while catching the eye of Mikel Arteta.
Record claims Arsenal are watching closely as Porto try to agree a contract extension with one of their most promising talents.
According to A Bola, Vieira has little more than a year remaining on his current deal, with a £25 million release clause unlikely to put off some of Europe’s biggest and wealthiest clubs.
A central midfielder who can also play on the right, Vieira is an intuitive and unpredictable playmaker adept at drifting away from challenges and pinging through-balls into the feet of forwards.
More Dani Ceballos than Mesut Ozil, perhaps?
But, in theory, Vieira should give Arteta’s side that dash of zip and zest they are so badly missing.
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