Fabio Vieira may not be an Arsenal player today if it wasn't for Mikel Arteta after the Spaniard confirmed he had a big say in signing the midfielder.
The Athletic had previously reported that the £34million signing of Vieira was driven by Arteta, who expressed his admiration for the player for a number of months. Speaking to the press ahead of the Europa League clash with FC Zurich, Arteta confirmed his influence in the deal and expressed just how impressed he was after watching the 22-year-old.
"We were looking for players that could play in three positions in the frontline and in the attacking midfielder positions," he said. "We were looking for very specific qualities in the market and when I saw him, I really liked what I saw. Straight away, I was convinced that he was a player who can help us go to the next level and that he had the right personality and character to play for our club."
