Fabio Vieira explains decision to push for Porto loan after 'difficult time' at Arsenal

Evening Standard

·9 September 2024

Fabio Vieira explains decision to push for Porto loan after 'difficult time' at Arsenal

Portuguese winger reveals details of loan return to boyhood club

Fabio Vieira has opened up on the “difficult time” he has endured at Arsenal after sealing a season-long loan move back to former club Porto.

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Big things were expected of the Portugal Under-21 ace when he made a £34million move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2022.

However, Vieira struggled to break into Mikel Arteta’s side and battled with injuries, making just 16 appearances last season.

And the 24-year-old told Portuguese sports paper O Jogo: “The idea of returning came from me. I love this club and I’m going to give everything on the pitch.

“I’m happy, obviously, it’s my home. I’m looking forward to being at the stadium, playing in front of these fans and doing the best I can for this club this season.

“It was a chance that, above all, came to me because it was something I already wanted: to play. I had a difficult time in England, an operation, and at this moment I felt that FC Porto was a good opportunity to continue growing and developing.

“I felt that this was the right place to do it this season.”

Fabio Vieira struggled for regular minutes in Mikel Arteta’s side

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Vieira had fallen behind the likes of Leandro Trossard and even youngster Ethan Nwaneri in Arteta’s pecking order for this season, but could yet have a future at Arsenal if he can reignite his career at Porto.

“I have more responsibilities,” he added of his time in north London. “I can say I’m a different man.

“Obviously they played in a different style than we play here, but both there and here there are two teams that always have control of the ball, most of the time they are in possession of the ball, in offensive processes, but we also have the defensive process, both are very important in football.”

Arsenal also allowed Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson to leave this summer - both joining Fulham - bringing in Raheem Sterling from Chelsea in a surprise late loan deal.

And Sterling said: “It’s a perfect fit for myself to be at a football club like this, where you can see that hunger, that desire, year on year, they are pushing and pushing and pushing. That’s exactly how I am as a person.

“Each year you want to get better and do better than the previous year. Hopefully I can gel really well with the boys and get going.

“It’s time now to meet the boys, get settled in and hopefully now see some game time and make my mark.”

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