'I feel very happy': £30m ace is delighted to have left Arsenal, decision to depart justified already

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Sometimes, a player simply arrives at a club at the wrong time. That certainly appears to be the case with Arsenal and their £34 million misfit.

Had he arrived at the Emirates Stadium a couple of years earlier, perhaps he would have nailed down a regular role in a Gunners side who appeared to be going nowhere fast in the latter day Arsene Wenger days and during the ill-fated Unai Emery era.

But with Mikel Arteta dragging the London giants back to the summit of European football – Arsenal’s Champions League dismantling of PSG proof of how far they have come under the Spaniard – Fabio Vieira found his role becoming smaller by the month.

Like Emile Smith Rowe, who joined Fulham after falling out of favour, Vieira was relegated to a benchwarming role.

Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz all moved ahead of Vieira in Arteta’s peking order in terms of those advanced midfield roles. The emergence of teen sensation Ethan Nwaneri is also continuing apace.

So when his old employers came calling over the summer – Porto offered Fabio Vieira the chance to jump-start his career at the club who handed him his big break – the former Portugal Under 21 international needed little convincing.

Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira delighted to be back at FC Porto

Vieira has played only twice so far, his impact back at Porto restricted by a muscle injury.

But, speaking after making his second Dragons debut in last weekend’s 4-0 hammering of Arouca, Vieira insists that the choice he made in the final week of the summer window was undoubtedly the right one.

"I'm very happy, to be honest,” Vieira told reporters. “I came back with the goal of being able to play. I feel very good here. This is my home, with the Porto fans.

“This is where it all started. And, now, I just have to enjoy it and be happy. I'm going to work hard.”

Vieira, a graduate of FC Porto’s academy, has been welcomed back to the Estadio do Dragao with open arms. It’s like he has never been away.

"[The love between the fans and I] is a mutual affection, from them to me and from me to them,” adds the 24-year-old. “It always has been, since forever. This is the club where I started everything.

“I feel very happy to have their support. And you can count on us, because this season we're going to give everything to bring them joy.”

Arsenal are not ready to give up on Vieira just yet

After marking his return in the blue and white stripes against Arouca, Vieira rose from the bench again as Porto played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Arsenal understandably opted against including an option-to-buy clause in Vieira’s contract. The Gunners are expected to monitor his progress closely over in his native Portugal before making a decision on whether Vieira can challenge Odegaard and co a little more closely later down the line.

Vieira’s ability and potential is not in question.

It’s just that, with Arsenal boasting the sort of midfield options most clubs can only dream of, the £34 million signing has become almost a victim of The Gunners’ success during the Arteta era.

"Fabio is a sensational, hardworking boy. A boy that everyone likes,” Gunners veteran Jorginho said during the spring, speaking to reporters in Portugal as Arsenal went head-to-head with Porto in the Champions League knock-out stages.

“We only wish the best for him, because he works a lot every day and always wants to improve. He's a player who listens and when the team needs it, gives his opinion.”