Arsenal signings raising Hamburg expectations

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Two-time Belgium international midfielder Lokonga joined on a permanent deal, while Portuguese playmaker Vieira – who spent the 2024/25 campaign with Porto – signed on loan from the Gunners until the end of the season.

Their arrivals were greeted with optimism at the Volksparkstadion, raising the club’s hopes of a successful campaign.

Hamburg board member for sport Stefan Kuntz described 25-year-old Lokonga as “a midfielder who is as talented as he is experienced”, adding that the acquisition of Vieira, also 25, “will bring a lot of creativity to the team” and “give our attack even more options”.

After picking up just one point – and failing to find the net – in the opening two games of their first top-flight season since 2017/18, the Red Shorts need their two new signings to hit the ground running.

A little over two months ago, when Vieira walked out onto the pitch for Porto’s Club World Cup opener against Palmeiras, his immediate priority will have been to show his parent club – or indeed any other potential suitors – what he is capable of.

The attacking midfielder joined Arsenal from Porto back in 2022, reportedly in a deal worth over €30m, but he has struggled to force his way into manager Mikel Arteta’s plans.

Not only does Arteta have an embarrassment of riches in the midfield department – with the likes of Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz as well as English prodigies Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman all vying for similar roles – he is also known to prefer players who buy into his physical, high-intensity and hard-working philosophy.

An artistic playmaker with a delicate touch, Vieira has often had to settle for a place among the substitutes or, at best, the odd cameo appearance from the bench.

All in all, the 25-year-old registered three goals and 10 assists in 49 appearances for Arsenal, the last of which was a brief eight-minute outing in a 5-0 victory over Chelsea in April 2024. Vieira and Hamburg, though, could be a match made in heaven.

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Whether that proves to be the case will transpire in the coming weeks and months, but the fact that HSV reportedly had to fend off a number of big-name clubs for his signature speaks volumes.

For Arsenal and Merlin Polzin’s side, it is a win-win situation. The Gunners will be delighted Vieira is being given regular games in one of the best leagues in the world, while HSV might just have landed one of the most technically gifted players in the division.

As for Vieira, who registered five goals and six assists in all competitions for Porto last term, the move to northern Germany offers him the ideal stage to reignite his career.

The arrival of Vieira’s former Arsenal team-mate will no doubt help sweeten the deal.

A different type of player to the Portuguese, the robust Lokonga has been brought in to add balance to HSV’s central midfield.

Like Vieira, the Belgian found his playing time limited in north London, with the most recent of his 39 appearances for the club coming in an FA Cup tie against Manchester City in January 2023.

Loan spells at Crystal Palace and Luton Town followed before Arsenal agreed another temporary move – this time with Sevilla – for the duration of the 2024/25 campaign.

Despite spending the last two seasons with teams scrapping at the wrong end of the table – all while struggling to shake off a troublesome hamstring problem – Lokonga was often praised for his eye-catching performances in the middle of the pitch.

Indeed, after returning from injury against Real Sociedad in March this year, Spanish paper El Desmarque wrote that Lokonga’s introduction off the bench brought “half an hour of quality” and a “firmness” to their defence.

All of which bodes very well for his time in Hamburg, who will be counting on their two latest acquisitions to spark their season into life after the international break.

With HSV travelling to Bayern Munich on 13 September, they could hardly have wished for a tougher start.