The Bundesliga club have revealed negotiations are under way, but admit the final decision now rests with Arsenal.
Hamburg have confirmed they have submitted an offer to Arsenal for Fabio Vieira, but the Bundesliga club have acknowledged there is no guarantee the Premier League champions will accept it, which is something of an understatement.
Vieira impressed during his loan spell in Germany, finishing the season as Hamburg’s leading scorer with seven goals and earning a key role in the side.
The 26-year-old is understood to be keen on a return after missing out on Portugal‘s World Cup squad.
When Arsenal agreed the loan last summer, the deal included an option to buy worth around €20 million, later reported by Bild as €22 million.
That figure always appeared beyond Hamburg’s reach, given the club’s transfer record is just €14m, and they have now admitted they are working within a much tighter budget.
Speaking to supporters at the club’s training camp, Hamburg board member Eric Huwer revealed negotiations with Arsenal have reached the stage of a formal offer.
“Fabio Vieira is a fantastic player, one we feel like we’re fighting for every single day,” Huwer said.
“We’ve backed up our interest with concrete figures in talks with Arsenal. Right now, no one’s budging.
“We’re well aware that a salary package is part of the equation. We’re confident we can make Vieira a very competitive offer within our means, without taking on debt.”
He added: “We’re very curious to see if he and FC Arsenal accept it. We’ve internally agreed on a clear financial range.
“If Arsenal says yes, we’ll look forward to having Fabio. If Arsenal says no, we’ll look forward to someone else.”
Hamburg are reportedly only able to pay around €10 million, even then in instalments, around half the purchase option included in the original agreement.
That is also well below Vieira’s reported €18 million market valuation and a significant drop from the £35 million Arsenal paid to sign him from FC Porto in 2022.
With Hamburg’s offer now on the table, Arsenal are expected to wait before making a decision, giving themselves time to establish whether other clubs are prepared to pay a higher fee before the transfer window closes.
There has reportedly been interest from some in the Premier League but that hasn’t really amounted to anything at the time of writing.
This one looks set to run until the end of the window.
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