Arsenal new boy Fabio Vieira has compared his playing style to Lionel Messi 's as he gears up for his debut season.
The £34m signing has arrived in north London with a strong reputation despite his tender age having impressed last term for Porto and in Portugal's age grades. Vieira adds more quality to Arsenal's midfield ranks with his creative flair as the club target another top four push.
He's likened the way in which he plays to Messi, which has set the bar high. His comments will no doubt further excite the club's fans as their summer spending gets set to pass the £100m mark. Vieira has also cited the dedication of Cristiano Ronaldo as an example he wishes to follow.
He told the club's website : “Growing up, I liked Ronaldo and Messi - Messi because I’m like him in the way we play, and Ronaldo not because he’s Portuguese but I appreciate him. He’s an example for everyone, works hard every day and has a strong mentality. Last season was my best season because I scored many goals and had many assists so now I’m ready to do this challenge for Arsenal.”
New teammate Emile Smith Rowe has now seen Vieira close up having previously come up against him whilst playing for England. Even then he left his mark on Arsenal's No 10 and now he's compared Vieira to compatriot and Manchester City star Bernardo Silva.
He said: "He's very similar [to Silva]. He's a very good passer of the ball, his left foot is very good and he likes to create goals and score them himself. I've already played against him at international level, so I can't speak highly enough of him, and the fans should be really excited. At the Euro Under-21s, they [Portugal] beat us 2-0 and he was unbelievable in that game."
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Vieira finds more satisfaction from providing for his teammate as opposed to scoring and is determined to drive the team into the Champions League. He added: “I like to score goals but I prefer assists. I like to do the last pass and this is one of my best characteristics. I want to achieve getting into the Champions League. It’s really important for this club. We deserve it and we have to work hard every day to achieve that."
The Portuguese star has also been aided by some of the foreign stars in Arsenal's ranks as he adapts to his new surroundings with his English skills, by his own admission, not yet up to scratch.
He claimed: “It’s been good. We have some Brazilian, Portuguese and Spanish players and it’s easy for me. They help me with the language so I’m very happy. My English is not good but I promise I want to learn!”
