Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Fabio Vieira, with the attacking midfielder joining the north Londoners from FC Porto on a long-term contract.
The 22-year-old completed a £34m move to the capital on Tuesday, and will wear the number 21 shirt at the Emirates. It is a move that will excite Gunners fans, with Vieira notching seven goals and providing a whopping 16 assists across all competitions last term
“We’re so pleased to have completed the signing of Fabio from FC Porto. Fabio is a player with special qualities who is comfortable with the ball in the final third of the pitch," Arsenal's technical director Edu said.
READ MORE: Fabio Vieira's first words after completing £34m Arsenal transfer from Porto
"We are all looking forward to working with him and enjoying his future contribution to Arsenal. We will now continue to work hard and are looking forward to finishing this transfer window as strongly possible.”
So, with Vieira having now signed for Arsenal, what sort of impact could he have on Mikel Arteta's side? Could the Portuguese playmaker help the Gunners qualify for the Champions League?
We simulated the 2022/23 season with Vieira in the Arsenal squad, and this is what happened.
We 'signed' Fabio Vieira for Arsenal in July 2022
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Fabio Vieira to join Arsenal at the start of the summer transfer window, using FM22 to run the simulation. This is what happened.
The 22-year-old quickly became a key player under Arteta, mostly playing from either the right side of attack or in the number ten position, he was both a goal threat and a huge creative influence. In 39 appearances in all competitions, Vieira scored 15 goals and registered five assists.
But those stats are only half the story, because only Bukayo Saka registered more key passes (71) than Vieira (66), showcasing just how many chances he actually created. Saka eventually ended the season with 12 assists, with only Martin Odegaard registering more.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 2022 put together an overall best Arsenal XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what the Gunners' best XI looked like at the end of the 2022-23 season as predicted by Football Manager 2022:
Full Arsenal best XI (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Odegaard, Vieira, Saka; Martinelli.
Vieira featured in the Arsenal best XI as a number ten, with Odegaard from the right, Saka from the left and Gabriel Martinelli as a central striker. So, how did Arsenal perform in the league and cup competitions after signing Fabio Vieira in the summer transfer window? Let's take a look.
Arsenal's results from the 2022/23 simulation:
Arteta's side had a superb campaign following the signing of Vieira, with the Gunners securing Champions League football for the following season, following a fourth-place finish in the Premier League. Arsenal earned 74 points, five more than last season, and only lost eight times compared to the 13 last season.
In the cup competitions, Arsenal reached the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup and the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. Despite Vieira's brace, Arsenal lost 3-2 to their north London rivals Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.
Overall, this Football Manager simulation predicts that Vieira could have a huge impact on the side's fortunes next season, with the Gunners securing a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
Obviously, as this simulation is based on the current squad, Arsenal had Eddie Nketiah as the Gunners' only natural striker, following Alexandre Lacazette's departure, so potentially Arteta's side could perform even better should more players follow Vieira to the Emirates this summer.
Are you glad to see Fabio Vieira sign for Arsenal? Let us know in the comments!
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