Fabio Vieira: Arsenal’s new Santi Cazorla?

Watch any clip of former Arsenal star Santi Cazorla in motion and you’re more likely to be left salivating on the mouth.

Throughout his days underneath Arsene Wenger’s tutelage, the diminutive playmaker was one of many classiest operators within the Premier League.

A contact like gold mud, a proper foot blessed with sheer class and a left peg bettered by only a few, he was some of the full gamers in his place.

Throughout his time in north London, Cazorla discovered the again of the online 29 times – together with his most important objective being a surprising free-kick of their FA Cup triumph towards Hull Metropolis.

The Spain worldwide additionally assisted a exceptional 45 goals within the well-known purple and white, together with his capacity to provide teammates some of the constant components of his recreation.

He may evade the press in elegant trend, tip-toeing and dancing his means out of the tightest of crevices on the pitch whereas occupying harmful pockets of area within the last third.

It made him a drive to be reckoned with however sadly, his days in Islington had been taken away from him too early.

He cracked a bone in his ankle and his profession on the high stage from that second onwards was accomplished and dusted. The harm would turn into contaminated together with his pores and skin splitting open repeatedly.

Because of this, Cazorla turned a self-proclaimed “jigsaw puzzle” with docs having to take part of his pores and skin from his arm and fasten it to his leg.

The Spaniard has now efficiently returned to soccer after a whopping 668 days out and is having fun with his time in Qatar the place he has been nothing wanting a sensation, supplying his membership – Al Sadd – with 62 goal involvements in 74 outings.

It has taken Arsenal a substantial amount of time to attempt to change the now 37-year-old with many who possess related instruments struggling to copy his immense numbers.

In Martin Odegaard, they’ve discovered a like-minded technician with the membership captain dominating related areas of the pitch. Nevertheless, it’s in Fabio Vieira the place the Gunners have unearthed a real inheritor to Cazorla’s coveted throne.

Possessing the power to play as a quantity 8, behind the striker and on the flanks, his positional familiarity may be very very similar to Arsenal’s former quantity 19.

Within the phrases of journalist Freddie Paxton, Vieira’s contact is “top-class” with that one more image of how alike the 2 gamers are. That was seen most just lately towards Bodo/Glimt within the Europa League.

The Portuguese dynamo plucked the ball out of the sky in mesmerising trend, earlier than delivering a peach of a cross for Rob Holding to move house. That second was like watching Cazorla, who for therefore lengthy would provide targets in a similar way.

The 22-year-old was delivered to the membership for an eye-watering sum of £34m in the summertime however has taken to English soccer like a duck to water.

He was signed as an unknown amount regardless of seven targets and 16 assists for Porto final time period, however is shortly exhibiting that related numbers may effectively be forthcoming at Arsenal. Up to now, the teenager has discovered the online on two events and supplied an help all through his restricted recreation time on the Emirates Stadium.

His first objective for the membership was a luxurious strike, with Vieira unleashing an effort with Cazorla-esque bend and whip that got here off the publish and located the again of Brentford’s web.

Mikel Arteta has already described the Portugal worldwide as a “special talent” and on the proof above, it’s simple to see why.

Vieira has the world at his toes and has fitted seamlessly into Arsenal’s younger and thrilling squad. He has been the proper addition, and one that’s shortly filling that Cazorla-shaped gap that also lingered round Colney.