Andrea Berta given £17.3m challenge after Arsenal transfer complication emerges with summer deal

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Andrea Berta needs to hold firm on Arsenal price tag for Fabio Vieira as summer transfer shenanigans begin early

Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira is having a good season in Germany with Bundesliga side Hamburger SV. His five goals and six assists in 24 games have helped lift HSV out of the relegation scrap, putting a nine-point gap between them and 17^th-placed Wolfsburg.

The Portuguese international joined with fellow Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga. In fact, the pair combined last weekend away to Borussia Dortmund, Vieira finding the Belgian unmarked in the BVB box before he finished.

Sadly, despite taking a two-goal lead, the home side rallied and won the game 3-2. Yet, both signings have certainly made an impact.

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Whereas Lokonga’s move was permanent for a meagre fee, Vieira joined on loan with an option to buy. Currently, the option stands at €20million (£17.3million).

According to Hamburger Abendblatt, the German side would like to make the move permanent in the summer after being impressed with the player’s improvement in form and importance to the side. However, there is a problem with the agreed loan option currently beyond their financial means.

The deal was agreed and negotiated with Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta. The Italian faces a big summer, not just with looking to improve Mikel Arteta’s squad but to secure funds for players who could leave.

In fact, some have argued that outgoings will be under even more scrutiny than incomings when it comes to how Berta might be judged. His predecessor, Edu Gaspar, was often criticised for not getting good enough fees for players, but did manage to secure more than £80million for Emile Smith Rowe, Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah in his final summer window in the role.

Arsenal paid around £34million for Vieira when they signed him from Porto in 2023, and to lose him three years later for less than half of what they paid and after a good season with the midfielder still only 25 would perhaps draw some attention – although he would have just one year left on his deal this summer.

After spending upwards of £250million on players and without making much in the market, the financial results dictate that sales are needed. What might help Berta is that there is known interest from other clubs impressed with Vieira’s output.

If Hamburg cannot pay, perhaps someone else will?