Nottingham Forest have made a move for Arsenal midfielder Fábio Vieira. This creates a major problem for Hamburg’s hopes of keeping him in Germany.
Vieira spent last season on loan at Hamburg and became one of their standout players. The Bundesliga side had been trying to find a way to sign him permanently. This was after deciding the €22m (£18.7m) purchase option was too expensive.
According to journalist Dominik Schneider, Nottingham Forest have submitted an offer to Arsenal worth €28m (£23.8m) in total. Meanwhile, the German outlet presents it as a “shock” for Hamburg, whose chances of signing the Portuguese midfielder are now falling.
Arsenal had recently appeared open to negotiating below the original option figure. Earlier reports in Germany had suggested they wanted around €10-15m (£8.5-12.8m). HSV, however, were only prepared to go into the high single-digit millions.
Forest offer changes Arsenal’s position
Fábio Vieira rebuilt his market after leaving Arsenal on loan last summer. Hamburg gave him a bigger role than he had been able to secure at the Emirates, and he responded with seven goals and five assists in 29 league matches.
The 26-year-old has a year left on his contract with the Gunners. That had been one of Hamburg’s arguments for a cheaper deal. Nevertheless, Nottingham Forest’s move weakens their position.
If the €28m (£23.8m) package is accepted, Arsenal would bank more than the value of HSV’s expired purchase option. In addition, it would also represent a stronger return than the figures being discussed in Germany over recent weeks.
For Forest, this would be another move for a player with technical quality and Premier League experience. Vieira never fully established himself at Arsenal, but his Bundesliga season has put him back on the market in a much better light.
HSV left fearing another blow
Fábio Vieira had wanted clarity early in the summer. Hamburg had been trying to use the player’s willingness to stay as their best card.
That was always going to require patience. Arsenal were in no rush, and Vieira’s representatives had already been linked with wider Bundesliga interest.
Schneider now report that the expired €22m (£18.7m) clause is central to HSV’s problem. They could not afford it. Moreover, the chance to negotiate a cheaper deal is now under serious threat because of Nottingham Forest.
The German side are already set to lose Luka Vuskovic after his loan from Tottenham. So, Vieira also heading back to England would leave them without two important players from last season’s squad.
What happens next
Fábio Vieira’s future now depends on Arsenal’s response to Nottingham Forest’s offer.
The Gunners had been waiting for a better market than the one Hamburg could provide. Forest may have delivered exactly that.
HSV’s only realistic hope is that Vieira strongly pushes to remain in Hamburg, or that Arsenal decide the structure of Forest’s offer is not good enough. At this stage, though, the situation has moved sharply in Arsenal’s favour.
What previously looked like a drawn-out negotiation with HSV now has a Premier League exit route attached to it. For Forest, it is an opportunity to take advantage of a player whose Arsenal career appears to be ending, but whose value has recovered in Germany.