Forgotten Arsenal star's next move confirmed as club issue transfer statement

Fabio Vieira is set to start pre-season with Arsenal as FC Porto confirmed that he will not be re-joining them permanently after taking the midfielder on loan for the 2024-25 season.

Vieira, 25, joined the Gunners back in the summer of 2022 in a £30million move from Porto on a five-year contract. But the Portuguese has struggled to live up to expectations at the Emirates and was given the green light to re-join his old club on loan last summer.

As part of the deal that took him back to the Portugal, an option for Porto to make the move permanent was included.

But following reports from Europe earlier this week that Porto had no intention of triggering said option, they have now confirmed that Vieira will return to north London.

Porto said in a statement on Tuesday: "The end of the 2024/25 season also marks the end of Fabio Vieira's loan spell, who will no longer be part of the FC Porto squad and will return to Arsenal.

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"On loan from the Londoners since 28 August, the 25-year-old midfielder scored five goals and provided six assists in 42 games during his second spell at the Club.

"With Fabio Vieira's return to England confirmed, FC Porto wishes him all the best for the future."

While it seems unlikely that Vieira has much chance of salvaging his Arsenal career, the midfielder is now set to start pre-season back at London Colney with the club likely to try and seek a different suitor for a player who still has two years left on his deal.

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The big focus at Arsenal right now is on incomings, though, as Mikel Arteta's men prepare to return for training later this month.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is already through the door with Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi likely to follow but the Gunners are still searching for a quality No.9 and a new left winger.

Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko are the two strikers the club are pursuing, while Rodrygo is a target for Arsenal's wide forward vacancy. Eberechi Eze, the Crystal Palace midfielder, is also a player the club are considering signing this summer and talks have already been held with the England star's representatives about a possible move.

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