West Ham now add player Mikel Arteta says is a 'special talent' to their transfer wishlist

West Ham are now said to be eyeing an Arsenal player as they look to hand Graham Potter more attacking options. The Hammers need to step up their recruitment after a pretty moderate start to the window, at least in the context of also losing Mohamed Kudus.

The Iron had a disastrous campaign of last, and Graham Potter knows he needs to hit the ground running after a difficult first few months in charge. Potter will get the chance to put his own stamp on his squad this summer, but it will come with the cost of added pressure.

A striker is required, although Callum Wilson looks set to fill that void, and attention will then likely to turn to adding attackers, with a winger certainly required, while an attacking midfielder may also be targeted. One player who can play in both of those positions is Arsenal star Fabio Vieira, who is now said to be a target.

According to Ben Jacobs, the Hammers are considering a deal for the Portuguese star, who has struggled to establish a presence at the Emirates Stadium. Jacobs has said: “West Ham have added Fábio Vieira to their list of midfield options. No approach yet to Arsenal, but Vieira now a name of interest. West Ham planning to add multiple midfielders this summer.”

Arsenal signed Vieira for an upfront fee of £29.9 million from FC Porto in 2022, and he has only made 33 league appearances since. He spent last season on loan with former club Porto, making 26 league appearances and scoring four times.

At the time of the loan deal, Arteta confirmed that Vieria was moved on because he preferred Ethan Nwaneri, he explained: “We allowed Fabio [Vieira] to go as well because we wanted to create the room and the space for Ethan [Nwaneri]. He has given us every reason to trust him. He’s shown that he’s ready to make the next step, and it’s great to have him.”

When Vieira first joined Arsenal, Arteta said: “I am very excited that we have identified and signed such a special talent. Fabio is a very creative player that will bring high quality and versatility to our attacking play. We welcome Fabio and his family to our club and are looking forward to starting work with him ahead of the new season.”

Things haven’t worked out for Vieira at Arsenal since, and now at age 25, he is likely looking to establish himself at a club long-term rather than securing another loan move and holding on to what is a fading dream of someday making it at Arsenal.

West Ham could offer Vieira more regular game time at the London Stadium, now with spaces out wide, while Lucas Paquetá’s future remains uncertain at this stage. It’s unclear how much Arsenal will demand for Vieira’s signature, but they are likely to have to take a hit on their investment, A price of around £20million seems likely.

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