Arsenal have completed a deal with Porto for attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira.

The 22-year-old joins the Gunners for a fee of €35 million (plus €5 million add-ons) after  technical director Edu negotiated a price below the player’s €50 million release clause.

Including his senior debut for Porto, just over two years ago, Vieira has racked up 76 appearances, scoring 10 goals and making 18 assists. The numbers are impressive and all the more so when you consider he’s averaging just 37 minutes on the pitch so far.

Well aware that Arsenal are not scoring enough goals at the moment, we assume manager Mikel Arteta views his new recruit, who can also play as a second striker, as someone who can unpick opposition defences. In so doing, Vieira should help share the burden placed on Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

Vieira is Arsenal’s third signing of the summer after 19-year-old Marquinhos, who joined from Sao Paulo, and American goalkeeper Matt Turner, for whom a deal was struck in January with MLS franchise New England Revolution.

The new boy will sport FABIO VIEIRA on the back of his shirt alongside the number 21, a number previously worn by Calum Chambers, Lukasz Fabianski, Mart Poom, Jermaine Pennant and Tomas Danilevicius.

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