An Arsenal star has likened himself to Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi, believing he has a similar style of play to the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
The Gunners have been one of the standout sides across Europe this season as they also continue to maintain their position at the summit of the Premier League table after 12 games played.
Read: Klopp to quit Liverpool? Agent responds
Their rejuvenated attack has also seen them score the second-most goals in the English top tier behind Manchester City, netting 30 times, while the Citizens have done so on 37 occasions.
Prior to the 2022/23 campaign, Arsenal made a number of reinforcements in the transfer market, with the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Matt Turner and Fabio Vieira joining the club.
The latter initially struggled to get going at the Emirates after an injury was detected during his medical – this would sideline him for the first two EPL games of the season and see him being an unused substitute in the three matches that followed.
However, after a stunning goal against Brentford and some impressive performances in the UEFA Europa League, manager Mikel Arteta has admitted to being impressed with Vieira's qualities.
"We were looking for very specific qualities in the market, and when I saw him, I really liked what I saw," Arteta said recently, per Football.London. "Straight away, I was convinced that he was a player who can help us go to the next level and that he had the right personality and character to play for our club.
"It's a shame that we detected an injury when we were doing the medical. He had no pre-season, and everything has been delayed, but hopefully, you're going to see a lot more of him in the next few weeks, and I'm sure that you'll enjoy it."
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has now revealed who his biggest football influences are, crediting both Messi and his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo.
"The two biggest influences for me are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi," the former FC Porto playmaker said, according to Arsenal.com.
"Ronaldo, not because he is Portuguese, but he is really someone who really inspires others with his work ethic, how he had to leave his family and his comfort zone to sign for Sporting, and for him to build the career that he has built inspires everyone.
Read: EPL clubs to reject Argentina WC request?
"Messi is more to do with my style of play.
"I am similar to Messi and I appreciate the way that he plays."
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH: ARTETA DISCUSSES THE SEVERERITY OF BUKAYO SAKA'S INJURY
