How Are Arsenal’s Loan Players Doing This Season?

Arsenal are really struggling to keep up with Premier League leaders Liverpool this season, and now they have been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, the only hope of silverware this year is the Champions League. However they have five players out on loan who could still win something this season, even if it is unlikely.

Fabio Vieira - Porto

Fabio Vieira was bought by Mikel Arteta in 2022 from Porto after an impressive campaign from the young midfielder. He was bought less for his goal scoring and more for his creative ability, and he showed some signs of that in an Arsenal shirt even with limited game time. He scored his first Arsenal goal in a 3-0 win over Brentford in his debut season, but spent most of the 2023/24 campaign out with a groin injury.

Official, confirmed. Arsenal signs Fábio Vieira from FC Porto on a permanent deal, Portuguese club statement announces. ⚪️🔴🤝 #AFC

“Deal complete for amount of €40m, and of these, €5m are dependent on achievement of sports objectives”. pic.twitter.com/oaRLXGpeVX

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2022

He returned to Porto on loan at the beginning of the season but hasn’t had the desired impact as he has scored just once and registered two assists in 10 league appearances. He was dropped from the starting XI recently due to a difference in principles according to the Porto manager and there has been talks about him possibly returning to Arsenal. Porto could still win the league this season, as they are just one point off Sporting at the top of the league, but it seems as if Vieira might not be needed too much in the second half of this season.

Reiss Nelson - Fulham

Reiss Nelson’s Fulham made it through the FA Cup third round at the weekend with a comfortable win over Watford, however he wasn’t involved as he has been injured for some time. Having come through the Arsenal academy Nelson has featured 50 times in the league for the Gunners and has scored some important goals.

This season he has played just 11 times in the league for the Cottagers and scored once and assisted once. Despite his relatively low attacking output, there has been talk amongst Fulham fans of him joining the club permanently after his loan expires because of the energy that he adds to their attack. Given that Fulham have the chance of finishing in a European place this season, Nelson may want to make his move permanent having played out on loan twice before but not found his long term home.

Karl Hein - Real Valladolid

Karl Hein has been at Arsenal since he was 16, joining in 2018 from Nomme United in his native Estonia. Despite being at the club for nearly seven years, he has made just one appearance for the senior team, a 3-1 defeat to Brighton in the EFL Cup. After that, he joined Reading on loan but barely featured for them as they just survived relegation to League One.

KARL HEIN. 🧤#LALIGAHighlights | #LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/5fwSxUatpB

— LALIGA (@LaLiga) December 20, 2024

In the summer he joined Real Valladolid in La Liga following their promotion from the second tier. They are struggling this season, having won just four times in this campaign, however they are two points off safety and Hein has managed to keep five clean sheets, including in their most recent match against Real Betis and in a 0-0 draw earlier in the season against Real Sociedad.

Nuno Tavares - Lazio

Nuno Tavares joined Arsenal back in 2021 but has really struggled to get his Gunners career going. Since he joined he has been out on three different loans to Marseille, Nottingham Forest and now Lazio. He has made just 22 league appearances for Arsenal in total and it seems unlikely that he will make many more having fallen out of favour at the Emirates.

He is currently at Lazio in the Serie A and is having an incredible season. Not only are they fourth in the Serie A, having won 11 times this season, but they are also undefeated in the Europa League and in a really good place to go through to the last 16. Tavares is yet to score in the league for Lazio, but in 15 appearances he has registered eight assists, topping the charts in the Serie A this season.

Albert Sambi Lokonga - Sevilla

Like Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga joined the Gunners in 2021, but hasn’t really had the chance to prove himself in an Arsenal shirt. He had impressed for Anderlecht prior to his move but was unable to replicate those performances in the Premier League. Since he joined he has gone on loan to Crystal Palace, Luton Town and Sevilla to varying degrees of success.

📊 #LaLiga Midfielders: Defensive Ground Duel vs. Passing Efficacy

Aurélien Tchouaméni skews the graph, but Albert Sambi Lokonga has been one of the most complete midfielders in the league this season.

Does he deserve a shot at the Emirates next year?#SevillaFC #AFC pic.twitter.com/RKXFmyTN8A

— Spencer Mossman (@fc_mossman) January 12, 2025

His loan at Luton wasn’t bad despite them getting relegated from the Premier League, but this season, with Sevilla, he has struggled for regular game time as the Spanish side have been in poor form. He has registered two assists so far this season, his most recent one coming in the dying stages at the weekend against Valencia to earn his side a crucial point.