Fabio Vieira is spending this season away from Arsenal, having joined Porto on loan over the summer. Given Arsenal’s history of loaning out players, it’s easy to assume Vieira’s future at the club is uncertain, especially since he struggled for regular playing time before his loan move. This could suggest that his absence from the squad will only continue, right?
Actually, that’s not the case. Fabio Vieira is still in contention for a long-term role at Arsenal.
Recent comments by Fabrizio Romano provide an encouraging update on Vieira’s future with the Gunners. According to Romano, the notion that Vieira’s time at Arsenal is over is a misconception. Arsenal are still undecided about his long-term future and plan to assess his situation after his loan spell.
Romano explains that the reason Arsenal chose a straight loan, without a buy option or obligation for Porto, is to retain control over Vieira’s future. Should Arsenal decide to keep him after the loan, they have the power to do so.
In his own words, via the Here We Go podcast, Romano said: “After Fabio Vieira joined Porto on loan from Arsenal, many people started saying, ‘Okay, it’s over for Vieira at Arsenal.’ What I’m told is that this is not the case. Arsenal only wanted a straight loan with no buy option because they want to assess Vieira’s situation again in one year.”
Vieira’s potential has been difficult to fully gauge so far. While he has shown glimpses of quality at Arsenal—such as his key assists for Gabriel Martinelli against Aston Villa and Gabriel Jesus against Manchester United—his overall impact has been limited. Concerns about his physicality and work rate, often compared to Mesut Özil’s, have been raised.
A strong loan spell in Portugal, however, could be just what Vieira needs to unlock his full potential. Let’s hope he makes the most of it.