Arsenal sell Fabio Vieira to Hamburg in £7m deal as summer exodus continues

Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira is on the verge of a permanent £7m move to Hamburger SV, with the 26-year-old undergoing a medical at the Bundesliga club after spending last season on loan there. HSV board member Kathleen Kruger has publicly confirmed that talks took place in London, signalling the deal is close to completion.

Kruger addressed supporters directly ahead of Hamburg’s 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. “The fact is that Claus Costa was in London. I can officially confirm that,” she said. “That shows how much we value Fábio. I can reassure all HSV fans: We are working very, very hard in the transfer market. And he would, of course, be a great addition to our team.”

She added that the club’s financial discipline remains a priority. “It’s very important that we continue down the path HSV has taken in recent years, and in a financially sound manner.”

Vieira was part of the Hamburg squad that secured promotion back to the Bundesliga after several years in the second tier, and could feature in the club’s home fixture against Mainz next weekend if the deal is finalised in time.

The Portuguese international’s departure is the latest in a significant summer clear-out at Arsenal under sporting director Andrea Berta, with the transfer window closing on September 1. Gabriel Jesus has been granted permission to join Barcelona in a deal worth €10m (£8.5m) plus up to €5m (£4.2m) in add-ons, while fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli is closing in on a £60m switch to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia following an agreement between the two clubs.

With three prominent squad players heading for the exit, Arsenal are reshaping their roster considerably as the new Premier League season gets underway.