Fabio Vieira: Final days of Arsenal exit were 'quite intense'

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Fabio Vieira has lifted the lid on the nervy final days of his permanent move away from Arsenal, admitting he was not sure the deal to Hamburg would be completed at all.

The Portuguese midfielder left north London late in the summer window, joining the Bundesliga club for a reported €10 million after spending the previous campaign with them on loan. Arsenal had initially been holding out for a figure closer to €20 million.

Vieira on the waiting game

Speaking via Sky Sports, Vieira said: "The last two or three days in particular were quite intense. I was a bit nervous because I didn't know if everything would really work out. But in the end, everything went well. Now I'm here and very happy about it."

The 26-year-old had made his preference clear throughout, but had little influence over the negotiations themselves. Arsenal were waiting to see whether a rival club would come in with a stronger proposal, while Hamburg were unwilling to move towards the Gunners' original valuation.

Hamburg's position was built on a simple calculation: Vieira wanted the move, no other serious offers had materialised, and Arsenal would eventually reduce their demands as the deadline approached. That is precisely how it played out, with the German side landing their target for roughly half of what the Gunners first asked for.

A chapter that never quite worked in north London

Vieira arrived from Porto in the summer of 2022 as one of the most highly rated young playmakers in Portugal, having won the Primeira Liga's young player of the year award. The fit in north London never materialised, with injuries and the sheer competition in Arsenal's midfield limiting him to sporadic appearances.

Loan spells followed, and it was at Hamburg where he finally found consistent minutes. He became a popular figure with supporters there and an important member of the side, which explains both his desire to return and the club's willingness to be patient in the market.

For Arsenal, the sale represents a significant shortfall against the reported £34 million fee paid to Porto, though it removes a player from the wage bill who had drifted well outside Mikel Arteta's plans. The club's recruitment strategy in recent windows has leaned heavily towards Premier League-proven profiles, and Vieira's departure closes the book on one of the more expensive misses of the Edu era.

For the player, the move offers something he could not find at the Emirates: a settled role, a supportive crowd and a platform to rediscover the form that earned him the switch to England in the first place.

Vieira will now look to build on last season's loan showing in the Bundesliga, with Hamburg's campaign offering him the regular football that eluded him in north London.