Comparing Fabio Vieira’s 21-22 stats with Arsenal’s current midfielders

Quick Reads

Porto's Fabio Vieira celebrates after scoring in the Primeira Liga game against Tondela. March 2022.

Nathan Egerton
18th June 2022

Arsenal look to have bolstered their midfield ahead of the 2022-23 campaign with the eye-catching signing of Porto’s Fabio Vieira.

The Gunners have agreed to pay the Portuguese side an initial £29.9million for Vieira and could potentially spend an extra £4.3mllion in add-ons.

He came through Porto’s academy and won the prestigious UEFA Youth League in 2018-19 after scoring against Chelsea in the final.

The midfielder, who mainly operates as a No.8 or a No.10, made his senior debut in June 2020 and has since established himself as a key player for Sergio Conceicao’s side.

He is yet to win a senior cap for Portugal but won the player of the tournament award at last year’s European Under-21 Championship.

Vieira then made 39 first-team appearances for Porto in 2021-22, helping his side win a domestic double of the Primeira Liga and the Taca de Portugal.

We’ve compared his 2021-22 Primeira Liga stats with the corresponding Premier League numbers of Arsenal’s current midfielders. Note: we’ve also included Bukayo Saka’s stats as Vieira can also play on the right flank as a wide attacking midfielder.

Goals
Bukayo Saka – 11
Emile Smith Rowe – 10
Martin Odegaard – 7
Fabio Vieira – 6
Thomas Partey – 2
Grant Xhaka – 1
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 0

Assists
Fabio Vieira – 14
Bukayo Saka – 7
Martin Odegaard – 4
Emile Smith Rowe – 2
Grant Xhaka – 2
Thomas Partey – 1
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 0

READ: Fabio Vieira is the assist king sent to answer Arteta’s Arsenal prayers

Minutes per goal or assist
Fabio Vieira – 66.4
Emile Smith Rowe – 160.1
Bukayo Saka – 166.4
Martin Odegaard – 253.9
Grant Xhaka – 777
Thomas Partey – 677.3
Albert Sambi Lokonga – N/A

Chances created per 90 minutes
Martin Odegaard – 2.5
Fabio Vieira – 2.3
Bukayo Saka – 2.0
Emile Smith Rowe – 1.4
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 1.4
Grant Xhaka – 1.2
Thomas Partey – 0.8

Successful dribbles per 90 minutes (success rate)
Thomas Partey – 1.6 (80%)
Emile Smith Rowe – 1.5 (60%)
Fabio Vieira – 1.4 (46.6%)
Bukayo Saka – 1.3 (41.9%)
Martin Odegaard – 0.8 (53.3%)
Grant Xhaka – 0.7 (70%)
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 0.2 (66.6%)

Passes per 90 minutes (passing accuracy)
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 65.0 (88.4%)
Grant Xhaka – 59.6 (86.8%)
Thomas Partey – 53.4 (85.6%)
Martin Odegaard – 50.2 (86%)
Fabio Vieira – 47.9 (82.9%)
Emile Smith Rowe – 35.9 (87.4%)
Bukayo Saka – 31.9 (79.5%)

Fabio Vieira looks a special talent. Surely there’s a song Arsenal fans can use…#AFC pic.twitter.com/TEM6KnqnOw

— Planet Football (@planetfutebol) June 16, 2022

Successful tackles per 90 minutes (success rate)
Thomas Partey – 1.9 (61.2%)
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 1.7 (89.4%)
Martin Odegaard – 1.6 (55.1%)
Fabio Vieira – 1.3 (65%)
Bukayo Saka – 1.2 (60%)
Grant Xhaka – 1.2 (54.5%)
Emile Smith Rowe – 0.7 (50%)

Interceptions per 90 minutes
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 1.0
Thomas Partey – 1.0
Grant Xhaka – 0.8
Bukayo Saka – 0.7
Fabio Vieira – 0.7
Emile Smith Rowe – 0.7
Martin Odegaard – 0.4

Shots per 90 minutes (inside penalty area)
Fabio Vieira – 3.1 (1.1)
Bukayo Saka – 2.9 (2.2)
Emile Smith Rowe – 1.9 (1.4)
Thomas Partey – 1.9 (0.6)
Martin Odegaard – 1.7 (0.7)
Albert Sambi Lokonga – 1.6 (0.2)
Grant Xhaka – 1.1 (0.7)