Arsenal are facing a tricky decision over Fabio Vieira’s future after Porto revealed they cannot afford a permanent transfer for the midfielder. Vieira returned to his former club last summer on loan following a frustrating spell at the Emirates, where he struggled for consistency due to injuries and limited opportunities.
Despite showing promising form back in Portugal, Porto are unable to meet Arsenal’s valuation of the 25-year-old. The Gunners spent £35 million on the player in 2022 and are not prepared to take a major loss. Vieira will represent Porto at the upcoming Club World Cup but is set to return to Arsenal’s London Colney base for pre-season.
However, he is unlikely to join the squad for the pre-season tour, as Mikel Arteta plans to integrate young talent such as 15-year-old Max Dowman, who impressed after training with the first team last season.
While Arsenal have yet to make any summer signings, their attention has turned to bolstering their attack. They remain keen on Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres but are facing stiff resistance from the Portuguese club.
Gyokeres, a key target also linked to Manchester United, has an £84.7 million release clause. Sporting president Frederico Varandas insists the club won’t accept anything below that figure, though he did acknowledge previous talks with the player’s agent regarding a more flexible exit valuation.
According to Varandas, no fixed fee was agreed upon, and the club is under no obligation to sell at a discount. Still, he indicated Sporting may consider a lower offer than the full clause due to the player’s age and circumstances.
The Swedish international is reportedly confident there’s a verbal agreement for a move around £59 million, but Varandas refutes that claim, maintaining the club’s stance remains firm in negotiations.