This summer has very much been about the incomings as far as Arsenal are concerned. It’s been unprecedented too. We were promised it would be.
Nine days ago, the Gunners confirmed the marquee arrival of Eberechi Eze, who signed from Crystal Palace, eventually fulfilling his dream of playing for the Arsenal first-team.
With that move finalised, we all thought Andrea Berta and Co were done in the market. Well, think again. They have tied up a move for Bayer Leverkusen on transfer deadline day, a switch that allows Jakub Kiwior to head for Porto.
That move takes the club’s spending past £300m, something that meant sales had to be made.
How Arsenal's transfer window ended
Hincapie has moved to the Emirates Stadium in a deal worth around £45m, lower than his proposed release clause of £52m.
Initially signed on a season-long loan move, it’s a switch that will become permanent next summer, allowing for Arsenal to balance the books in the meantime.
So, how will they balance those books? Well, Albert Sambi-Lokonga departed the Gunners for Hamburg on transfer deadline day, joining Reiss Nelson in fleeing.
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Nelson will depart north London but remain in the capital, heading to Brentford on a loan move that could become permanent next summer.
Arsenal have also tried to move on Oleksandr Zinchenko who received interest from Marseille but he ultimately stayed with Mikel Arteta’s side. It’s unlikely he’ll receive many minutes with Hincapie having now signed.
Yet, there was another move that happened, one that signified the end of one of Arteta’s worst signings since becoming the club’s manager.
Arsenal sell player similar to Martin Odegaard
Back in 2022, Arsenal agreed a £34.2m move to bring one of Europe’s most exciting young playmakers to the club.
It wasn’t one met with a huge amount of fanfare but Fabio Vieira’s arrival was a crafty one as they looked to provide competition for Martin Odegaard.
Indeed, during his time at the Emirates, club icon Gilberto admitted that he was like the Norwegian, saying: “In terms of his style and the coach’s vision, he’s very close to (Martin) Odegaard. He has good ideas and dynamics, but he has to recognise that and the quality he has.”
Sadly, Vieira didn’t realise that hotly-tipped potential. He played just 50 times for Arsenal, scoring four goals and supplying ten assists. That tally of assists isn’t a bad haul by any means but the fact of the matter is that the Portuguese looked far too lightweight to make it in the Premier League.
A loan spell with boyhood club, Porto, rather sealed his fate in 2024/25. Granted time to show what he was capable of, the now 25-year-old scored just five goals and supplied six assists, hardly numbers that inspired Arteta to give him another go.
Appearances
33
17
Goals
2
2
Assists
6
4
As a consequence, the big-money signing was told to find a new club and he finally did so on transfer deadline day.
Coincidentally, Vieira joined Lokonga in Hamburg, heading to join the German side on an initial loan move.
The Athletic reported earlier on Monday that he had been given permission to fly to Germany to undergo a medical.
It marks the end of a really disappointing stay with Arsenal. From being tipped to take up an Odegaard-like role in the side, he leaves London behind as a forgotten figure.