A European club ‘won’t pay’ the £34 million asking price for an Arsenal star who hasn’t played for the team in 755 days.
Arsenal might miss out on a good transfer fee for one of their players, as his current club doesn’t seem keen on activating a buy option. Right now, Arsenal fans are probably more focused on the team leading the Premier League and getting ready for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain later this month than on summer transfers.
Still, this summer could be key for the Gunners if they want to become a top force in English football. Big clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United are likely to strengthen their squads for the 2026/27 season.
Last summer, Mikel Arteta brought in several new players, including Piero Hincapie (on loan), Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, and Viktor Gyokeres. On the other hand, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard, and backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga have only played a little.
A number of players have left Arsenal recently. Jorginho, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Reiss Nelson, and Fabio Vieira all went out on loan or moved permanently.
Fabio Vieira, the last on this list, has been loaned out twice in two seasons—first to Porto, then to German club Hamburg for the 2025/26 season. The midfielder came to Arsenal from Porto in 2022 for £34.2 million but didn’t get much playtime under Arteta. However, he’s been doing well in Germany, scoring seven goals and making six assists in 31 games.
But according to Football London, Hamburg doesn’t want to pay the £19.15 million needed to keep him, so Arsenal might have to accept a lower offer. Talks are likely to happen after Arsenal’s season ends, but it’s still unclear if Vieira wants to stay in Germany or come back and try to earn his spot at Arsenal.
Hamburg’s football director Claus Costa and coach Merlin Polzin have spoken to Vieira, trying to convince him to sign permanently. The club is willing to pay around £8.7 million, and Vieira’s Arsenal contract runs until 2027.
When asked if he’d stay at Hamburg, Vieira said: “I can’t say yet. Whatever happens, I’ve been very happy here and I’m really grateful to HSV. The club did so much for me, and the support has been amazing. I feel the love from the fans and the club—they really care about me.”