After establishing himself as a key player at Hamburger SV on loan last season, Fabio Vieira was determined to make his move to the Bundesliga club permanent during the summer.
It took some time for the transfer to materialise, as the two clubs haggled over the transfer fee, but Arsenal ultimately allowed the Portuguese midfielder to return to HSV for a reported €9 million just before the transfer window closed.
"It was hard, as always, because you never know what can happen, if you go somewhere else or if you come back to Hamburg," Vieira said in an interview with the Bundesliga, looking back at the summer.
"I didn't know what could happen, including with my family, and of course you get a bit uncomfortable in that situation. But in the end, when everything is clear, when you have your contract, when everything is signed and you are where you want to be, it's much easier."
For the 26-year-old, it was clear all along that he wanted to stay at HSV.
"Because I see everything that involves the club, all the people, everything, the championship. The coach always gives me the support that I need and gives me confidence. Last season, I think in the end I had a good season, and I want to keep doing the same or even better," he explained.
Asked what makes HSV special to him and convinced him that it was the right place to be, Vieira responded:
"Everything has been special since last season. What I experienced here was amazing in personal terms. All my family enjoy it as well. It's a really nice city, a really nice club. All the people around and the fans are good people, and they are always supporting us. It doesn't matter if we win or lose, they are always there for us. At the end, when you have a club and fans that love you, you feel much happier to have joined a club like this."
"I like the championship. The Bundesliga is really nice, it's very competitive, and there's a lot of space to keep growing and developing. At the end, I think it's the right place for me as well because I want to keep playing football. I want to do what I love most, which is playing football, and here I feel very comfortable. When people like you, it's much easier for you."
Vieira has made three appearances for HSV since returning to the club.
