The 25-year-old midfielder joined Arsenal from Porto in 2022 for a fee of up to £35 million, but his time in North London hasn’t gone as planned.
After making only 22 Premier League appearances in his first season under Mikel Arteta, Vieira featured just 11 more times in his second season before undergoing surgery for a groin injury. In search of more game time and a chance to regain form, he returned to Porto on loan.
During his loan, Vieira played 42 matches, scoring five goals and providing six assists—his best stats since the 2021/22 season. Despite hopes that Porto would make his move permanent, the Portuguese club has decided against it. According to O Jogo, Porto isn’t considering another loan or a transfer because Vieira’s wages are too high. Additionally, the club wasn’t fully convinced by his performances to pursue a permanent deal.
Vieira had expressed how meaningful the move to Porto was, calling it his home and the place where his football journey began. However, with the loan ending on July 1, he will return to Arsenal. Before that, he plans to take some time off with his family after participating in the Club World Cup, which capped off a disappointing season for Porto
