Farewell Fabio: Vieira leaves Arsenal for potential sizeable loss
Farewell Fabio: Vieira leaves Arsenal for potential sizeable loss
Fabio Vieira has departed Arsenal to join Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV on loan with an option to buy.
The Portuguese playmaker becomes the second player to depart the Gunners for the newly-promoted side on deadline day, after Albert Sambi Lokonga made the same move for a reported nominal fee.
Vieira became surplus to requirements at Arsenal last summer, being loaned back out to former club Porto, and the 25-year-old will now continue his career in the Bundesliga.
Hamburg's loan agreement supposedly contains a £17m option to make Vieira's stay permanent, which would see Arsenal make a loss of over £13m on the £30.2m they paid to bring him to the club in 2022.
However, Vieira could also return to the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season, which would likely precede an exit for an even smaller fee given his contract only runs until the summer of 2027.
Vieira has come up with three goals and 10 assists from 49 games in an Arsenal shirt, as well as the game-winning penalty in the 2023 Community Shield against Manchester City.