(Football news) Arsenal are set to sign Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira for 40m euros (£34.2m) plus add ons. The 22-year-old is yet to earn a cap for Portugal but was voted the best player of the tournament at last year's Euro Under-21. A medical is planned for Vieira as he could become Arsenal's third summer signing following USA goalkeeper Matt Turner and teenage Brazilian forward Marquinhos. Vieira this season has provided 14 assists in Primeira Liga which is more than any other player. He has also been capped 21 times by Portugal Under-21s.

Vieira was an integral cog in the Porto squad which won the Portuguese league as he made 39 appearances for them this season, scoring seven goals and providing a record 16 assists in all competitions. His best attribute is that he can feature as a false nine or central midfielder, and has been a regular starter for Portugal Under-21 recently. It is thought that the signing of Vieira was driven by Mikel Arteta, who found his admiration of the playmaker months ago. Vieira, will join a young nucleus of attacking midfielders which includes the likes Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith-Rowe and Saka. 

Born in Santa Maria De Feira, on May 30, 2000, Fábio joined the Porto academy at a tender age of eight in 2008. He rose through the ranks before spending the 2015-16 season on loan at Padroense which was an U-17 side in the Portuguese division, before being sent to Porto’s B side in 2017. Things started to look up when he was a teenager in 2018, with Fábio playing for Portugal’s U-18 side and U-19 side while also making an impact at the club level. He played a crucial role in Porto B’s run to the 2019 UEFA Youth League Final, starting all but two games. Fabio scored in the opening 7 minutes in the Final as Porto defeated Chelsea 3-1 in Nyon, Switzerland.

Fábio is a very capable midfielder who can unlock deep blocks with his precise through balls but also switch the ball to the other flank with ease and find the open teammates. He is a capable player who can recognize an overload on one side and rotate the ball to the opposite side of the field. He boasts a 60.5% long pass success rate in the Portuguese League this season. Over the years, Portugal have been blessed with players who can carry the ball forward amid the defensive pressure and create goal scoring chances by inch-perfect through balls. After Deco, Rui Costa, Luís Figo, Bernardo Silva, João Félix and many more, it appears that Fábio Vieira could be the latest player with this unique talent.

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