In a shocking about-turn, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has permitted midfielder Fabio Vieira to return to Porto on loan, despite seeming pretty content last season about the way he was developing at the Emirates. The 24-year-old Portuguese international has left for his former club in search of more playing time.
Nailing a Promising Start
Having impressed many by his creativity and technical displays in the Primeira Liga, Vieira came to Arsenal with high expectations. His first season at the Emirates, though, was one of real mix. There were moments of brilliance—he netted a stunning long-ranger against Brentford—but on the whole, the midfielder struggled to hold down his place in a highly competitive squad. Despite all that, there have been signs that Vieira might finally be on the brink of making an important contribution since early last season.
In September, when introduced as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Manchester United, Vieira put in a cameo whose evidence suggested what he was capable of. It was classic Arteta - under whom evolution very rarely happens by accident - to eulogize about the baby-faced midfielder soon after, claiming that something had shifted inside Vieira's psyche.
"Something has changed with Fabio," Arteta said at the time. "You notice with the crowd when he steps in, he is different to how he was last year. He's more mature, he's more senior in the squad, and his confidence in the squad is high, so I'm really happy to have those options."
Struggles and Setbacks
Despite the early promise, Vieira's season took a downturn. He made 15 appearances in total and scored one whilst setting up three goals in the process. He was wracked by a horror groin injury, which saw him require surgery in February and keep him out for almost the entire second half of the campaign. In reality, Vieira played less than an hour of Premier League football following his surgery and was an unused substitute in 14 of Arsenal's final 17 fixtures.
The Loan Decision
With the midfielder having struggled to get minutes since moving to north London, allowing him to go out on loan to Porto seems like the best decision. That way, with 24 years of age, there's time still on Vieira's side to develop even further, probably under the same conditions and within an environment where he has readily proved himself. For Arsenal, the move could help to reignite Vieira's career through gaining the kind of experience and self-belief he needs to make more of an impact when he returns to North London.
Looking Ahead
As the transfer window comes to an end, the attention will now shift to Vieira's second coming to Porto and how he fares in his second stint with the club. Where Arsenal is concerned, this is a calculated risk that could pay dividends when and if Vieira comes back to the Emirates a more mature and battle-scarred player.
Whether he moves permanently at the end of the season or is able to prove his worth, the decision by Mikel Arteta to sanction a loan deal for Vieira reflects the need for regular playing time as part of the developmental process for any player, while there also has to be flexibility within a talent-laden squad. No doubt Arsenal fans will be watching the progress of Vieira with interest, hoping he can fulfill the promise which initially saw Arteta bring him to North London.
