Hamburg's sporting director Klaus Costa has firmly dismissed claims that the club took advantage of Arsenal's difficulties in negotiating the transfer of Fabio Vieira.
Negotiations stretched over much of the summer, with an initial buyout option set at around €22 million. However, the Germans managed to slash the price by more than half, settling on a figure of €10 million. Additionally, Arsenal stands to receive a percentage of any future transfer involving the player.
During a press conference in Germany, Costa was asked directly whether Hamburg had effectively "robbed" the Gunners in the deal. The sporting director categorically rejected such accusations, while also admitting that the club is very pleased with the final agreement.
Of course not. We cannot enter into bidding wars with other clubs that are financially stronger. Consequently, we had to bide our time, and in the end, we're thrilled that this deal worked out so well for us.
Reports suggest that Hamburg held firm throughout the negotiations, patiently waiting for their opportunity. Ultimately, Arsenal found themselves lacking more attractive offers from competitors, allowing the Germans to seal the deal at a significantly reduced sum.
