Before Mikel Arteta’s clear shift towards signing physically strong players who thrive in duels, the Arsenal manager followed the precedent set by Arsene Wenger in the transfer market.

The summer of 2022 is largely recognised as the transfer window where Arsenal took a step up to become the Premier League title contenders we see today. Two players were credited with the Gunners’ transformation - former Manchester City stars Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

But another signing in the form of Fabio Vieira, arriving in a £34million deal from Porto in June 2022, also fit the mould of slight technical players long associated with Arsenal. Yet, even then, Portuguese playmaker Vieira stood out among his team-mates and other Premier League stars with his slender frame.

An initial bedding in period was expected given the fast-paced nature of the league compared to the Portuguese Primeira Liga, where he had managed six goals and 14 assists prior to his move. Having signed a five-year deal at the Emirates, a foot injury kept Vieira out of the first...