Unfancied by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and his entourage thanks to the captaincy-inspired galvanisation of Martin Odegaard, the 24-year-old needed a fresh start to keep things ticking over at a steady pace, a place to re-find his finest form.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: In his 49-game stint at Arsenal, Vieira notched just three goals and nine assists.
Vieira jumped ship and left his boyhood club, FC Porto, to join the north Londoners in a deal worth £32 million as he arrived alongside former Manchester City duo Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. But things didn’t exactly go swimmingly.
As alluded to, he returned to Porto in the summer of 2024 with lingering doubts hanging over his Emirates Stadium future – but how has he been performing under the stewardship of Martin Anslemi? And what have the Portuguese media had to say?
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Portuguese media are waxing lyrical about the 24-year-old
Still uncapped by Portugal’s senior national team, the 2000-born attacking midfielder began his career at Porto in 2008. Progressing through the ranks, he remained in the Portuguese capital until 2022, when the Gunners knocked on the door.
But, after struggling to pull up trees in the English capital, a well-received (from both parties) return to Porto beckoned just two years later.
At the time of writing, Vieira has accrued 30 appearances – 12 of which have come off the bench – in all competitions this season for Anslemi and his entourage as they mount a collective push for Primeira Liga’s top spot.
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Although he is averaging just 55 minutes per game, the Porto academy graduate has notched four goals and assists apiece, a total of 19.4 (82.9%) key passes per game – and, more importantly, 1.43 of which were classed as high-octane, key passes.
Dominating the right-hand side of the field (as evidenced by his 2024/25 heat map below), his defensive robustness has also been on display. He’s chalked up 3.04 ball recoveries per game and, despite his slight frame, has won 50.6% of his duels.
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On that note, it’s safe to say that he feels at home. On Saturday, in a 2-0 win over FC Arouca, he notched a goal to make it two from two – and A Bola hailed him as a ‘genius’, while likening him to a tempo-dictating metronome.
They wrote: "After scoring at Estádio do Dragão against V. Guimarães in the previous match, the midfielder was once again instrumental in FC Porto’s victory in Arouca, scoring a goal that calmed the waters when the result was a complete unknown."
He started the match playing as an 8-man, with Martin Anselmi asking him to take charge of the team’s attacking play, but in the second half he freed himself from some tactical constraints and began to show off his footballing skills.
"First, he sent a ball onto the crossbar, in yet another involved play, but in the second half he had an accurate shot that gave the team some confidence at a crucial moment in the game," they continued before adding: "He is gradually improving in form.”
Elsewhere, the front pages of O Jogo were recently adorned with reports that Arsenal, Vieira’s true employers, are ‘attentive to the growth’ of the 25-cap, 14-goal Portugal U21 international, having sent scouts to watch their glittering loanee in action.
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On the back of seeing how well Vieira is performing in his homeland, it’s quite easy to point the finger at Arteta, isn’t it? But the midfielder’s time in north London was complicated by a lack of confidence, often as a result of a string of injuries.
What could prevent Vieira from returning to north London and settling in under Arteta, widely regarded as one of the best young managers in world football, is the phenomenon that is Ethan Nwaneri, who’s compiled a case to be Odegaard’s replacement.
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An incredible anomaly for his age bracket – bar Lamine Yamal, of course – the 17-year-old is a terrific talent and Vieira’s return could stunt his growth from fresh-faced youngster to being one of the leading creative forces in England’s top flight.
Vieira, Odegaard & Nwaneri - 24/25 League Stats
Metric
Vieira
Odegaard
Nwaneri
Appearances (bench)
12(5)
18(1)
6(11)
Minutes
1100
1553
532
Goals/Assists
3/3
2/3
3/1
Shots per game
1.5
1
1
Pass success rate (%)
82.1
87.4
89.4
Key passes per game
1.5
2.1
0.5
Dribbles per game
0.3
0.9
1.5
Overall rating
7.01
6.89
6.65
MailOnline journalist Sami Mokbel, back in December 2024, reported that Arsenal’s higher-ups are willing to listen to offers for Vieira. Upon his return, the player in question will have two years remaining on his four-year contract.
If Arsenal fans are looking for a crumb of comfort, Vieira’s upturn in performances will only a) enhance his stock among European sides and b) as a result, increase his sell-on value should the Gunners offload him in the summer he returns.
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