Hamburg are planning talks to make Fabio Vieira's loan move from Arsenal permanent, after the Portuguese playmaker impressed as a 'key player' during his season-long stint with the Bundesliga club.
The 25-year-old winger has made 31 appearances in all competitions for Hamburg this season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists. He finished the campaign as the club's top scorer and leading creator combined.
This is Vieira's second loan spell away from Arsenal, following a return to his former club Porto in the 2024/25 season, where he played 42 times. Arsenal signed Vieira from Porto for just under £30 million in June 2022, but he never fully established himself in north London.
In his first season at Arsenal, Vieira made 33 appearances and scored twice. However, his playing time dropped significantly in 2023/24, with only 16 appearances and one goal. A future at Arsenal appears highly unlikely, but a permanent move to Hamburg is a distinct possibility.
Hamburg sporting director Claus Costa praised Vieira and the club's other loan players, saying: 'We would like to expressly thank all six players for their performances and commitment while wearing the HSV shirt. Fabio and Luka certainly stood out as key players over the course of the season, but all of our loan players played their part in helping us achieve our objective for our first season back in the Bundesliga ahead of the final day.'
Costa added: 'Both on and off the pitch, they integrated superbly into the team and the club and really took on what it means to be part of HSV. We will hold discussions with the various parties over the coming days regarding a possible future at HSV.'
Hamburg opted not to take up the option to buy Vieira that was included in his loan deal. They now aim to negotiate a lower fee with Arsenal, given that Vieira has only one year left on his contract and the Gunners are keen to offload him.
A statement from Hamburg on Vieira's return to Arsenal hinted at a potential future move: 'The 25-year-old Portuguese midfielder joined HSV from Arsenal on deadline day last summer and went on to make 31 appearances in all competitions. With seven goals and six assists, he finished the campaign as the club's top scorer and leading creator combined. As things stand, the technically gifted playmaker will return to London.'
