Arsenal strike agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for Piero Hincapie transfer as loan with option deal worth €52m is reached

David Ornstein reports the 23-year-old defender will travel to London for a medical this weekend. Once the permanent transfer is completed, Hincapie will be signed to a five-year contract with the Gunners. Bayer Leverkusen will hold a 10% sell-on clause. 

Arsenal have pursued a deal for the Ecuadorian for the past few weeks after the player was initially linked with their north London rivals Tottenham. The deal adds even more depth to a sturdy Arsenal back line, as Hincapie can fill in at both centre and left-back.

Hincapie joined Bayer Leverkusen from CA Telleres in 2021 for €13m. The Ecuadorian has progressed into a key player for Die Werkself, making 166 appearances over the past four seasons.

The highly-rated defender will have to fight hard for game time, with Gabriel Magalhaes dominating the left centre-back spot in Mikel Arteta's starting lineup, while Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly have both performed admirably at left-back. Even if immediate game time is hard to come by, the long-term contract following Hincapie's permanent transfer suggests the 23-year-old is part of the club's plans well beyond this season.