Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Ecuador international Piero Hincapie on a permanent deal from Bayer Leverkusen, with the defender expected to remain at the Emirates Stadium despite reported interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Gunners triggered their option to buy for an initial £34.45m (€40m) plus £5.17m (€6m) in bonuses after a successful loan spell.
Real Madrid Scout Watches Hincapie at World Cup
Mirror Football understands that Real Madrid's chief scout Juni Calafat was present at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on June 14 to watch Hincapie play for Ecuador against Ivory Coast in the World Cup. However, Hincapie had a difficult evening against Liverpool target Yan Diomande, who exploited his pace to cause problems down the flank. Calafat also attended other World Cup matches, including Morocco's 1-1 draw with Brazil on June 13, where he scouted Ayyoub Bouaddi, another Arsenal target.
Arsenal's Stance: Hincapie Not for Sale
Despite the interest from Spanish giants, Arsenal consider Hincapie a focal part of their plans. The 24-year-old has signed a long-term contract, and the club has no intention of selling him. Real Madrid are looking for a left-sided centre-back following David Alaba's departure, and while Hincapie is appreciated, other options such as Manchester City's Ruben Dias are also on their shortlist. Real Madrid had previously enquired about Riccardo Calafiori's agent but did not follow up after signing Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.
Hincapie's Impact and Future Role
Hincapie made 41 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal last season, helping them win the Premier League. His permanent move was announced on the same day Ecuador qualified for the Round of 32 of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Germany. Arsenal also agreed a £5.17m (€6m) loan fee with Leverkusen last summer, and the Bundesliga club will retain a 10% sell-on clause. Leverkusen confirmed in a statement: "The conditions for the purchase option were met and defender Hincapie will therefore continue his career with the London club in the Premier League in the coming years."
Mikel Arteta's side had also tracked Germany left-back Nathaniel Brown, who is now set to join Bayern Munich from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £47.35m deal. The thinking is that Myles Lewis-Skelly will move permanently into midfield, while Hincapie and Calafiori will provide centre-back cover to ease the burden on Gabriel Magalhaes after a gruelling 63-game season.
