Fabio Vieira says he’s thrilled to join Arsenal after sealing a move to Emirates Stadium in double-quick time.

While the Gunners have been keeping close tabs on the Portugal under-21 international for some time, only last week did our interest in the player surface.

By that point a financial agreement with Porto – confirmed to be a €40 million package – had already been struck, paving the way for a medical, a tour of the training ground with technical director Edu and his unveiling.

He also sat down with the club for a quick interview.

“I’m thrilled, of course,” he said after penning his five year deal.

“This is an important step forward in my career. Arsenal is a huge and historic club, so I’m delighted to be here at my new home.

“It certainly was a fast process,” he added. “It was something that I was drawn to. Meeting the people at the club was a real positive for me. I’m loving it here and I’m here to give the team my all.

“Arsenal is a historic English club. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. Everyone knows that Arsenal are a fantastic team. That was one of the main factors behind me choosing Arsenal. I really like the way the team plays and I can’t wait to get started.”

As to what supporters can expect from him, Fabio continued: “I’m an attacking player who looks to find space between the lines to be able to finish off moves either with assists or by scoring goals. I think those are the main attributes that Arsenal fans can expect from me. I’ll always give my all for the team.”

Clearly chuffed to have secured the signing of a player who was voted the best at last summer’s under-21s European Championships, Mikel Arteta said:

”I am very excited that we have identified and signed such a special talent. Fabio is a very creative player that will bring high quality and versatility to our attacking play.

“We welcome Fabio and his family to our club and are looking forward to starting work with him ahead of the new season.”

Edu added: “We’re so pleased to have completed the signing of Fabio from FC Porto. Fabio is a player with special qualities who is comfortable with the ball in the final third of the pitch. We are all looking forward to working with him and enjoying his future contribution to Arsenal. We will now continue to work hard and are looking forward to finishing this transfer window as strongly possible.”

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