Arsenal scoured the market for a versatile attacking midfielder over the summer and, after spotting Vieira, the club agreed a £34million deal to sign him from Porto.
A foot injury has delayed his start, with the 22-year-old coming off the bench against Manchester United last Sunday to finally make his debut.
But now, here in Zurich, as Arsenal kick off their Europa League campaign tonight, Vieira is ready to make his first start for the Gunners and show why Arteta is so excited about his potential.
"We were looking for players that could play in three positions in the frontline and in the attacking midfielder positions," said Arteta. "We were looking in the market with very specific qualities, and when I saw him I really liked what I saw. Straight away I was so convinced that he was a player who was going to help us go to the next level and that he had the right personality and character to play for our club.
This story is from the September 08, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the September 08, 2022 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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