Fabio Vieira could be on the move before Monday’s transfer deadline, with West Ham United entering the race and VfB Stuttgart potentially funding a move with major sales.
Though VfB Stuttgart had previously appeared to fade from the race for Fabio Vieira, links have come to life again in the past 24 hours.
Football insider Hand of Arsenal reports that Stuttgart are firmly in the queue, and it’s not hard to see why. Stuttgart’s reservations have always been about the price, but the Bundesliga club have just made a major sale by letting Nick Woltemade join Newcastle United for £65m plus add-ons.
With Stuttgart also selling Enzo Millot for €28m (£24.2m) this summer, there’s no doubt the club have the money for a bid Arsenal would accept.
Simon Collings adds for The Standard that the sales increase the chances of Vieira joining Stuttgart before Monday’s deadline, with negotiations between the two clubs never completely ending.
Elsewhere, Florian Plettenberg reports that West Ham United have entered the race for Vieira, adding that Stuttgart also admire the midfielder.
Plettenberg also reports that another top Bundesliga club playing in the Champions League are interested, though he doesn’t elaborate further on that one.
This isn’t the first time West Ham have been linked with Vieira this summer, with Ben Jacobs reporting that the Hammers had added him to their list of midfield options in July. Yet there’s seemingly still been no formal approach.
James McNicholas recently reported for The Athletic that Arsenal and Stuttgart had discussed a fee of around £17m, and that it could be an initial loan with an obligation to buy.
Vieira played no part for Arsenal in pre-season, nor has he been involved in the first couple of Premier League squads of the new campaign. An exit this weekend would appear to suit all parties.