ARSENAL are reportedly set to announce Fabio Vieira as their second summer signing.
The Porto midfielder is said to be on a plane to London today to complete the deal.
Earlier this week, the Gunners made Sao Paulo winger Marquinhos their first signing of the summer.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus’ agent has reportedly arrived in London, with Arsenal keen to complete a £50million deal.
And the North London outfit have received a huge boost in landing the Brazilian as he is set on joining, according to reports.
Arsenal are also said to be “pushing hardest” to sign Raphinha from Leeds, with Spurs and Chelsea also said to be interested.
And it is claimed that the club are confident of signing Youri Tielemans.
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Arsenal target speaks on future
Arsenal transfer target Noa Lang has revealed that he wants to leave Club Brugge to further his career.
And the Gunners have received a huge boost in their pursuit of Lang who shut down reports claiming he’s en route to AC Milan.
Lang said on his future: “There is no agreement with AC Milan or anything. I don’t know where this kind of news comes from.
“If I have to report to Club Brugge again, I will do so with all my love. I love the club and will give the full 100 per cent.
“The agreement with Brugge is that it must come to a transfer, both parties agree on that.
“I want to continue to develop and so I have to take a step.”
Fabio Vieira – assist king
Fabio Vieira played a key role for Porto last season.
The 22-year-old was the assist king in the Portuguese league last season.
He managed to provide 14 assists in 27 matches, on par with Gil Vicente ace Pedrinho.
Fabio Vieira transfer broken down
Arsenal will pay Porto £29.8m for Fabio Vieira, plus £4.2m, reports revealed.
The 22-year-old will sign a five-year deal with the Gunners, according to David Ornstein.
His switch to North London was facilitated by super agent Jorge Mendes.
Mendes also played a pivotal role in Nicolas Pepe’s transfer to Arsenal last summer.
Prem interest in Porto star
Man United and Tottenham were also tracking Fabio Vieira, reports claim.
He became a fixture in Porto’s side last season, making 27 appearances in Liga Portugal.
But the Gunners managed to beat Prem rivals United and Spurs to his signature it seems as he heads to London to undergo a medical.
Who is Fabio Vieira?
Fabio Vieira is an attacking midfielder who has sometimes played as a second striker.
The 22-year-old provided 6 goals and 14 assists for Porto last season.
He joined the Portuguese side as a youth in 2008, and scored in his side’s 3-1 over Chelsea in the UEFA Youth League final in 2019.
Interest in Arsenal starlet
Arsenal starlet Jack Henry-Francis is reportedly being chased by three League One clubs.
Oxford United are one of the aforementioned sides who want to bring the 18-year-old in on loan this summer, oxford.vitalfootball reported.
And Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is willing to let Henry-Francis leave, the report also states.
Arsenal set to make signing
Arsenal have reportedly triggered Porto ace Fabio Vieira’s release clause.
The Gunners have launched a £36m bid free Vieira from his contract entanglement, according to the Express.
It is thought that the 22-year-old is traveling to North London to undergo a medical before completing his switch to the capital, the report adds.
Tavares wanted by Atalanta
Arsenal star Nuno Tavares is being chased by Italian club Atalanta.
The Serie A side have been impressed by the defender, and want to bring him in loan, according to Corriere della Sera.
Atalanta will likely try to add an option to buy clause into the deal, but it’s unclear if Arsenal will be open to doing so, the report adds.
Nottingham Forest eye versatile star
Nottingham Forest will step up their efforts to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles, according to Sky Sports.
The player has now returned from his holiday and is reportedly looking to get hooked up with a new club.
The Hale End graduate has fallen down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta. He spent the second half of 2020/21 on loan with West Brom and spent the second half of last season playing under Jose Mourinho at Roma.
It is not clear whether Maitland-Niles will leave on loan once again or if Forest are eyeing a permanent deal.
Payout for former Arsenal striker
Former Gooner Emmanuel Adebayor has landed a half million-pound payday – after Fifa ruled the striker’s club had sacked him unfairly.
He made just four appearances for the Asuncion outfit before Covid-19 halted their season.
Adebayor then failed to return from home country Togo amid travel restrictions.
Olimpia then tore up his one-year contract in June 2020, and the 38-year-old has not played since then.
Fifa’s football tribunal has now ordered Olimpia to pay Adebayor 510,000 dollars (£420,000), plus 12 per cent interest backdated to 2020.
Finish with a flourish
Brighton and Nottingham Forest follow the May 6 game with Newcastle.
Arsenal will once again finish the campaign at the Emirates, with Wolves their last opponent.
Optimistic for 2023?
Arsenal will welcome Newcastle to the capital on Jan 2, before facing Spurs away and United at home.
Arteta will see February and March as an opportunity to pick up points in his quest to secure Champions League football.
They will face no team that finished in the top seven of the Premier League in the 21-22 season.
April promises to be a tough period as they travel to Leeds, Liverpool, West Ham and Manchester City.
And they also will host Southampton and Chelsea in the penultimate month of the season.
A tricky visit to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle on May 6 could prove pivotal if Arsenal are to finish in the top four – oh dear, we’ve heard that before!
An easy August for Arsenal
Arsenal have been handed a favourable start to the 2023-23 Premier League season with the club to play no ‘Big Six’ side in the opening month.
That is a stark contrast to last campaign’s nightmare start where they faced Chelsea and Manchester City in their first three matches.
For the second year running, Arsenal will play away on a Friday night to kick off the new term on August 5.
And they will be desperate avoid a defeat like they did at Brentford last season as they face Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace, who smashed them 3-0 at Selhurst Park in April.
Following the London derby, the Gunners host Leicester, before pitting their wits against newly-promoted sides Bournemouth and Fulham.
They conclude the month with a home clash against Aston Villa, before travelling to Manchester United on September 3 in their first major clash of the campaign.
‘Different vibe between Tottenham and Arsenal’, says Sheringham
Former England international Teddy Sheringham has shamed Arsenal’s season, whilst likening his former Tottenham side to a “lion”.
The Gunners missed out on Champions League qualification to their North London rivals on the final day.
Sheringham spoke with Lord Ping, and said: “There is a totally different vibe between Tottenham and Arsenal; Spurs are fighting like a lion under him, whilst Arsenal faded at the business end of the season.
“Conte is taking his players with him and they are loving the ride.”
Arsenal faded at the business end of the season
Teddy Sheringham
Arsenal no soft touch this summer
Arsenal are telling miserly rivals to put up or shut up after pulling the plug on Lucas Torreira’s cut-price move to Fiorentina.
The Emirates hierarchy are fed up with European clubs trying to sign their unwanted players on the cheap.
And they have ruled that the days of the great Gunners giveaway are now a thing of the past as they look to get greater value for money in the transfer market.
They are particularly irked by Fiorentina pleading poverty during negotiations for Torreira just months after using Arsenal’s interest in Dusan Vlahovic to squeeze £65million from Juventus for the striker.
Fiorentina had agreed a £12.5million option to sign Torreira when they took him on loan last season.
But they reneged on that pledge when it came to negotiations for a permanent deal and said they would go no higher than £7million.
Breaking – Arsenal set to seal Jesus with £50m bid
Arsenal have submitted a £50million bid for Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus, according to reports.
The Gunners previously bid £30m for Jesus, 25, but are now set to match City’s £50m asking price, report The Times.
And the forward is said to be keen on the move to link back up with Mikel Arteta, who he worked with at City.
The Gunners were seemingly unwilling to pay £50m to land Jesus previously given he is set to enter the final year of his City contract.
But the striker’s agent Marcello Pettinati reportedly arrived in London yesterday to hold transfer talks with Arsenal.
Personal terms are still yet to be agreed but it seems Jesus is heading for the Emirates.
2022-23 Premier League match-ball
The Premier League have revealed their 2022-23 Nike match-ball – and it’s a stunning retro throwback.
The fixtures for the upcoming season were released early on Thursday morning.
And the official Premier League Twitter account followed that up shortly afterwards by sharing two pictures of the new match-ball.
Nike‘s 2022-23 effort is inspired by the iconic 1992-93 Mitre Pro-Max ball used for the first-ever Prem campaign, even featuring the navy blue, red and gold arrows.
The Premier League shared a sneak peek of the ball on Twitter, captioned: “Inspired by the first PL season, 30 years ago.
“The new 2022-23 Nike Flight PL Ball. Out 15 July.”
Tielemans a ‘top priority’ for Arteta
Arsenal are hopeful they can seal a deal for Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans before the end of the month, according to reports.
Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports said: “Arsenal remain confident and on course to sign Youri Tielemans before the month is out.
“Interest from Tottenham was never too advanced. But Bissouma’s incoming arrival will allay fears Spurs could hijack the deal.
“Tielemans is one of Arteta’s top priorities.”
Arsenal pre-season training in less than TWO weeks
Arsenal will report back at London Colney in less than two weeks before heading to Germany for their first match of the summer.
The Gunners begin their preparations for the 2022-23 campaign on June 27 as Mikel Arteta prepares for another shot at securing Champions League football.
Arteta still managed to claim a spot in Europe after failing to play in any Uefa competition last term after finishing eighth in 2021.
And the Spaniard will now be aiming to go one better this time around when he welcomes his players back to the club.
According to Arsenal Fixture News, the first team squad are due to return on June 27.
Aubameyang sale ‘a mistake’
Mikel Arteta ‘needed’ to get Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang playing again after their dispute last season, claims Harry Redknapp.
The former Tottenham boss told talkSPORT: “You needed to get him playing, didn’t you!?
“They don’t have that many good players. Get him on side.
“Sometimes you have to swallow it and get them playing for you.”
Finish with a flourish
Brighton and Nottingham Forest follow the May 6 game with Newcastle.
Arsenal will once again finish the campaign at the Emirates, with Wolves their last opponent.
Optimistic for 2023?
Arsenal will welcome Newcastle to the capital on Jan 2, before facing Spurs away and United at home.
Arteta will see February and March as an opportunity to pick up points in his quest to secure Champions League football.
They will face no team that finished in the top seven of the Premier League in the 21-22 season.
April promises to be a tough period as they travel to Leeds, Liverpool, West Ham and Manchester City.
And they also will host Southampton and Chelsea in the penultimate month of the season.
A tricky visit to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle on May 6 could prove pivotal if Arsenal are to finish in the top four – oh dear, we’ve heard that before!
Arsenal before the new year
It stands to be a torrid October for Arteta’s men who welcome North London rivals Tottenham to the Emirates at the start of the month, with the return fixture set for January 14.
And while juggling Europa League football, they will square off against Liverpool and Manchester City at home on October 8 and October 18 respectively.
They will also travel to Leeds and Southampton in what will prove to be a challenging time for Arsenal.
November will see Arsenal play just two games before the 2022 World Cup – trips to Chelsea and Wolves.
Their first game back after the global tournament will be a Boxing Day tie against West Ham at home, before concluding 2022 with a visit to Brighton on December 31.
An easy August for Arsenal
Arsenal have been handed a favourable start to the 2023-23 Premier League season with the club to play no ‘Big Six’ side in the opening month.
That is a stark contrast to last campaign’s nightmare start where they faced Chelsea and Manchester City in their first three matches.
For the second year running, Arsenal will play away on a Friday night to kick off the new term on August 5.
And they will be desperate avoid a defeat like they did at Brentford last season as they face Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace, who smashed them 3-0 at Selhurst Park in April.
Following the London derby, the Gunners host Leicester, before pitting their wits against newly-promoted sides Bournemouth and Fulham.
They conclude the month with a home clash against Aston Villa, before travelling to Manchester United on September 3 in their first major clash of the campaign.
Arsenal’s Premier League fixtures 2022/23
Here are your fixtures for the new season.
Arsenal kick off away to Crystal Palace on Aug 5, a Friday night, to open the Premier League season…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
