3 Arsenal players to watch in pre-season

3. Fabio Vieira

It would be fair to say that Fabio Vieira has had a very mixed time with the club since his arrival two years ago.

He arrived as an exciting 22-year-old who was tipped to have bags of potential, but inconsistency, injuries and a general lack of playing time have seen his career stagnate over the last year.

The Portuguese midfielder featured on just 16 occasions for the Gunners in competitive games last season, scoring two goals and assisting a further three in the process - while last pre-season he scored the winning penalty in the Community Shield penalty shootout against Manchester City.

Despite missing almost three months of last season through injury, his occasional cameo appearances often offered some flair and excitement, but he was never able to leave much of an impact.

With Emile Smith Rowe heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer, the chance of more playing time is there for Vieira to clinch - but only if he can leave a positive impression throughout pre-season, and stay injury-free.

Vieira is still young, at 24 years old, but next season looks to be pivotal in his development and Arsenal career. Having played so little last season, Vieira can ill afford to watch another season tick by from the sidelines.

Honourable mention - Ethan Nwaneri

While Ethan Nwaneri is perhaps the most exciting player at the club currently, and is on the cusp of the first team, it still feels slightly too soon for the 17-year-old to be heavily involved in Arsenal's pre-season

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