Arsenal Lands Piero Hincapie on Loan as Defender Declares: 'We Are Confident'—Jersey Number Unveiled
Arsenal have completed the acquisition of Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapié through an initial temporary transfer arrangement.
Hincapié requested a departure from Leverkusen, who dismissed head coach Erik ten Hag on Transfer Deadline Day, during the early part of this summer and was originally linked with Tottenham Hotspur, but Arsenal quickly gained the upper hand in pursuing his services. Hincapié will be assigned the No. 5 jersey.
The North London club secured terms with Leverkusen to bring in Hincapié over the weekend, covering a temporary transfer fee of €6 million (£5.2 million, $7 million), though there were contradictory accounts regarding whether the buy-out option in the agreement, valued at €46 million, was discretionary or mandatory.
Following his medical examination in London, Hincapié signed his Arsenal deal on Monday to become the eighth recruit during what has proven to be a busy transfer period for Mikel Arteta's team. This acquisition follows William Saliba sustaining an ankle problem during pre-match preparations against Liverpool.
"Despite being just 23 years old, Piero possesses considerable experience in both the Bundesliga and on the international stage. He represents an astute defender with genuine strength and adaptability. His displays over recent seasons for both his club and national team have maintained consistently high standards, and we believe Piero will continue developing this campaign and prove to be a valuable asset for us," sporting director Andrea Berta stated in the official announcement.
"Piero brings genuine physical attributes, with his adaptability and tactical awareness providing us with excellent additional defensive alternatives. He possesses strong character, displaying an impressive blend of youthfulness and maturity. He will enhance our squad depth and competitiveness as we progress through this season," manager Mikel Arteta commented.
Operating as a left-sided defender, Hincapié naturally plays as a centre-back but possesses experience functioning on the left flank of the defensive line, potentially providing another alternative as an inverted wing-back.
Hincapié joins Cristhian Mosquera in strengthening Arsenal's defensive unit, though the majority of the Gunners' transfer funds have been allocated to attacking positions.
Viktor Gyökeres emerged as the marquee acquisition following his £63.5 million transfer from Sporting CP, though Eberechi Eze's £67.5 million move from Crystal Palace might represent the most costly addition of Arsenal's transfer window should all performance-related clauses be activated.
Martín Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Nørgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga have all finalized their moves to Arsenal as well, with Arteta seeking to strengthen his roster in pursuit of securing the Premier League championship.