Official: Arsenal sign Porto star Vieira for €40m with €5m ‘dependent’ on ‘sports objectives’

Joe Williams
Arsenal target Fabio Vieira celebrates scoring a goal

Portuguese outfit Porto have confirmed in a statement that Premier League side Arsenal have signed midfielder Fabio Vieira.

There was little speculation over a potential move until yesterday when the news broke that the Portugal under-21 international would be having his medical today.

His agents tied up all the loose ends today and now Porto have announced that the transfer is complete with the Portuguese Primeira Liga club set to receive €35m up front with €5m in add-ons.


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A statement from Porto read: “Deal complete for amount of €40m, and of these, €5m are dependent on achievement of sports objectives.”

Vieira won Player of the Tournament last year at the Under-21 European Championship and backed that up by contributing six goals and 14 assists in 27 appearances over the past season.

A report today claimed that the signing of Vieira would not affect Mikel Arteta’s pursuit of Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, with the Belgium international playing in a deeper role than Vieira.

On Vieira’s arrival, former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere told talkSPORT: “I will be honest, I haven’t heard too much about him but I looked him up on YouTube when I saw the news break.

“He looks good. Everyone looks good on YouTube but he looks like he has got a bit about him. Six goals and 14 assists from midfield. That’s impressive.

“We all knew that Arsenal had to make some signings because they are in Europe. They need to get a bigger squad, so they are making moves, which is nice.”

Meanwhile, Danny Mills doesn’t think Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is good enough to start for England.

Mills said on talkSPORT: “There was a massive call for Aaron Ramsdale to be England’s number one. Not on last night’s showing, he’s not.

“All those people have suddenly disappeared. If Pickford had let that first goal in, Pickford would have been slaughtered this morning.

“Everyone would have said a top goalkeeper saves that. He got a hand on it, should have saved it. Not hearing that about Ramsdale. A lot of people have been saying Pickford out.”