Fabio Vieira explains decision to join Arsenal from FC Porto

Fabio Vieira has outlined why he chose to join Arsenal in his first interview since a €35m move from FC Porto.

The transfer was confirmed on Tuesday, with the attacking midfielder signing on a long-term contract from the Portuguese champions.

Vieira enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2021/22, scoring seven times and providing an impressive 16 assists in all competitions despite his minutes being limited.

Just 22 years old, he provides Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta with some much-needed quality depth in the attacking areas.

Explaining his decision to join the Gunners in an interview with the club's official website, Vieira said: "This is an important step forward in my career. Arsenal is a huge and historic club, so I’m delighted to be here at my new home.

"It certainly was a fast process [the transfer]. It was something that I was drawn to. Meeting the people at the club was a real positive for me. I’m loving it here and I’m here to give the team my all.

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"Arsenal is a historic English club. It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. Everyone knows that Arsenal are a fantastic team. That was one of the main factors behind me choosing Arsenal. I really like the way the team plays and I can’t wait to get started."

Vieira added: "I know some very famous players have played here. Some big stars, global legends of the game, such as [Dennis] Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, [Santi] Cazorla and [Cesc] Fabregas. I remember them well. They were players who had so much presence on the pitch."