According to Pedro Sepulveda, Liverpool target Fabio Vieira is joining Arsenal, after the Gunners activated his €40m (£34m) release clause.
What’s the story?
Well, Sepulveda is one of the best journalists in Portuguese football, and he believes Arsenal are now closing in on a deal for the 22-year-old sensation.
Vieira is now on his way to London, where he will discuss personal terms with the Gunners before undergoing a medical with the north Londoners.
The news has certainly come out of the blue, with many Arsenal fans only just processing the fact that a £50m deal for Gabriel Jesus is nearing completion – Mikel Arteta is certainly showing some ambition this summer.
Fabrizio Romano – another esteemed journalist – confirmed Sepulveda’s story, adding that Vieira dreams of playing in the Premier League, and is keen on the move to Arsenal.
You can see both of their tweets in full below.
In 39 appearances last season, Vieira scored seven goals, while impressively recording 16 assists.
They may share the same surname, but Arsenal fans shouldn’t expect the Portuguese playmaker to be anything like their iconic French warrior Patrick – he is a vastly different player, primarily from a physical aspect.
Arsenal beat Liverpool to Fabio Vieira
Arsenal fans will enjoy this.
It is believed that Liverpool are interested in signing Vieira this summer, having earmarked the 22-year-old as a potential signing after going to Porto for Luis Diaz in January.
Klopp has clearly been monitoring the Portuguese top-flight, as a deal for Darwin Nunez was recently agreed with Benfica, so it certainly isn’t far-fetched to say that Vieira caught his eye.
Now, however, unless there are any late surprises, the German will have to watch the Porto No.50 star for Arsenal next season.
It is a fantastic signing, and a necessary one for Arsenal who are lacking depth in the central midfield department.
With all due respect, the signing of Vieira should mean that Arteta doesn’t have to rely on the likes of Mohamed Elneny again during a crucial period of the season.
Keep an eye on this situation, as an announcement could even be made before the end of the week.
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