Fabio Vieira has been doing the media circuit in Portugal, and he has stressed a return to his homeland does not signify the end of his Arsenal career.
Loans were once part of the Gunners policy to help develop players, but recently it’s either been to get talent off the wage bill or a compromise if we can’t find a buyer.
Vieira is one of several members of our squad to have left North London in the short term this summer. I maintain it’s another piece of terrible business that Edu has got away with. He’s invested approx. 35 million in an asset only to give him back to the seller for nothing for 12 months.
Yet if it increases the 24-year old’s value and/or self-belief then this could make sense long term
The midfielder has pointed out that while his parent club negotiated for obligations or options to buy for some of his peers, Mikel Arteta strictly ordered that not to be the case here. Indeed, our manager’s plan was to continue to use the Portuguese as an option off the bench. Given how quick our boss can be to wash his hands of talent he obviously still sees something in Vieira.
It was only when he received individual reports from his staff, he deemed a return home beneficial. Observations stressed the youngster had lost his confidence and was in need of minutes to find his mojo.
Not that’s he’s going to walk into Porto’s line up having lost serious belief since he was last their player.
He’s back in an environment where he should be comfortable though, wearing the shirt he loves, surrounded by family and friends, in a division he knows he can excel in. He’s been detailing to the media how different the Premiership is compared to the Primeira Liga.
It does make the Dragons a gamble in terms of choice of destination.
Even if our player excels in the next 12 months, we are none the wiser if he can physically handle English Football. The Championship would have been a wiser solution if that was the case.
If he enjoys his year back in his homeland how interested is he going to be to return to a country he hasn’t settled in?
In that time, we will either be Champions or heading into 22 years without a title. Either way the pressure will such that we can’t be still waiting for Vieira to meet his potential.
The company line is everything will be reassessed in the summer, but I sense we won’t see Vieira start another Prem game for us again.
What do you think Gooners?
