Andrea Berta is in talks to sell Fabio Vieira this summer, but Arsenal’s sporting director will not be letting him go on the cheap.
The Athletic reports that Hamburg are keen to make Vieira’s loan spell permanent after an impressive season in the Bundesliga, where the Portuguese midfielder contributed seven goals and five assists in 31 appearances.
The German club are doing everything possible to convince Vieira to stay, with reports suggesting they have promised to build their midfield around him.
Vieira himself is open to remaining in Germany.
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Hamburg are trying to drive the price down for Fabio Vieira
The deal, however, depends on whether Hamburg can meet Arsenal’s valuation.
Vieira joined the German club on loan last summer with an option to buy set at around €20million, and despite his impressive performances, Hamburg are looking to renegotiate that figure downwards.
Andrea Berta is determined to get the right price, and won’t be bullied into meeting Hamburg’s demands.
For too long, the club have undersold players simply to get them off the books, accepting whatever fee was on the table rather than holding firm for what their players are actually worth.
That appears to have been a thing of the past for Arsenal, under Berta’s watch, who is also demanding around £20 million for Gabriel Jesus.
Vieira joined Arsenal from Porto for £34million in 2022 and never truly found his feet at the Emirates, making 49 appearances without ever establishing himself as a regular starter.
His loan to Hamburg was always likely to be a precursor to a permanent exit.
At €20million, Arsenal would take a significant loss on a player who cost considerably more.
But recouping that fee, rather than allowing him to leave for a nominal amount or for free when his contract expires, is exactly what they need to do if they are to add the quality Mikel Arteta wants.
Arsenal are Premier League champions and are part of Europe’s elite — they have plenty of leverage now.
With targets like Morgan Rogers, Eli Junior Kroupi and Julian Alvarez on the radar, every penny counts.
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