Fabio Vieira's Arsenal career has never quite unfolded as many expected, but his resurgence in Germany has shown there is still plenty of quality in the Portuguese playmaker.

When Arsenal signed Vieira from Porto in 2022, they believed they were landing one of Europe's brightest creative midfielders. He had starred in Portugal, won league titles and built a reputation as an intelligent attacking player capable of unlocking stubborn defences with his passing and vision.

However, adapting to the Premier League proved difficult.

Injuries disrupted his progress, while fierce competition for places limited his opportunities under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal instead looked to loan moves to reignite his career. After returning to Porto on loan, Vieira rediscovered some confidence before another temporary switch, this time to Hamburg, gave him the regular football he desperately needed.

That decision proved to be an excellent one.

Vieira became one of Hamburg's standout performers during the 25/26 campaign, making 31 appearances in all competitions while contributing seven goals and six assists.

He finished the season as both the club's leading scorer and leading creator, playing a major role in helping HSV comfortably achieve their objective of staying in the Bundesliga after promotion.

His technical quality, clever movement and ability to dictate attacks quickly made him a favourite with supporters, coaching staff and teammates alike.

From Arsenal's perspective, it has been encouraging to see the 26-year-old rebuild his reputation.

Even if he no longer appears central to Arteta's long-term plans, his performances have restored his value and attracted genuine interest from a club that clearly believes he can become a cornerstone of their future.

Arsenal in talks with Hamburg over selling Fabio Vieira

According to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, that belief has now developed into serious negotiations.

Plettenberg reports that Hamburg and Arsenal remain in direct contact over a permanent deal, with the two clubs having now exchanged concrete financial figures.

Although Vieira has travelled with Arsenal for pre-season, discussions are continuing as all parties work towards finding a solution before the transfer window closes.

The midfielder's own position also appears increasingly clear.

Plettenberg says Vieira is hoping an agreement can be reached because he loves the club, the city and head coach. Hamburg have made several signings already this summer, but those arrivals are understood to be completely separate from any potential deal for the Portuguese playmaker, underlining just how determined they remain to bring him back permanently.

The biggest obstacle is likely to be financial rather than personal.

Hamburg have made no secret of their desire to keep Vieira, while Arsenal understandably want a fee that reflects both his quality and the excellent season he has just produced in Germany.

Given how comfortable Vieira looked in Hamburg and how much the club value him, a permanent move now feels like the right outcome for everyone involved.