Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira is set to complete a permanent move to Bundesliga side Hamburger SV for £7m, following a season-long loan at the German club. The 26-year-old is finalising the formalities of the transfer, with HSV board member Kathleen Kruger confirming that talks took place in London.
Vieira closing in on Hamburg return
Vieira spent last season on loan at Hamburg, where he was part of the squad that secured promotion back to the German top flight after several years in the second tier. He is now poised to make the switch permanent, with HSV on the verge of winning the race for the Portuguese's signature.
Kruger, speaking to Sky Germany ahead of Saturday's 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund, said: "The fact is that Claus Costa was in London. I can officially confirm that. That shows how much we value Fábio. I can reassure all HSV fans: We are working very, very hard in the transfer market. And he would, of course, be a great addition to our team."
Arsenal exodus continues
Vieira's departure comes amid an exodus at the Premier League champions, with Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli both on the brink of completing moves away from the Emirates Stadium. Jesus has been granted permission to join Barcelona in a deal worth €10m (£8.5m) plus €5m (£4.2m) in add-ons, while Martinelli is nearing a switch to Saudi Arabia after Arsenal and Al Hilal agreed a £60m transfer.
Sporting director Andrea Berta has been negotiating exits for Arsenal's fringe players ahead of the transfer window closing on September 1. Vieira could feature in Hamburg's upcoming home fixture against Mainz next weekend.
Kruger added: "I believe he felt very comfortable here, and I think that hasn't changed to this day. But at the end of the day, it has to be the right fit overall. It's very important that we continue down the path HSV has taken in recent years, and in a financially sound manner."
