Jose Mourinho is wasting no time reshaping Real Madrid's squad after his sensational return as manager, targeting Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie as his fifth signing. The 24-year-old Ecuador international, who joined Arsenal on loan from Bayer Leverkusen last summer with an obligation to buy for £45 million, has caught Mourinho's eye as a left-footed centre-back who can also play left-back.
Mourinho's Spending Spree
Since his appointment earlier this month, Mourinho has already secured four new players for a combined £68 million. The arrivals include full-backs Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries, as well as free transfers Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate. Despite three of those being defenders, Mourinho is pushing for further reinforcements, specifically a left-footed centre-back.
According to ESPN, Real Madrid have made an enquiry for Hincapie, who fits the desired profile. However, any deal is complicated by Arsenal's loan arrangement. The permanent transfer from Leverkusen is anticipated to be finalized after the World Cup, making Hincapie an Arsenal player by then.
Real Madrid's Defensive Logjam
Mourinho currently has five centre-backs in his squad: Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Raul Asencio, and Konate. To accommodate Hincapie, the club is open to offers for Asencio, whose departure could pave the way for the Ecuadorian's arrival.
Hincapie has established himself as a regular starter for Arsenal, earning praise from manager Mikel Arteta. In February, Arteta said: "He's been extremely dominant in all the defensive actions. He understands what we want in the attacking part as well much better. All the set-pieces, all the aspects that are relative to the game model that we have. He's very much liked amongst the players. You can see that, the way they interact and react with him. So I'm very pleased that he's showing that up."
Alternative Targets
Hincapie is not the only player on Real Madrid's shortlist. The club is also monitoring Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni and Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck. However, Hincapie's potential availability and versatility make him a prime target.
World Cup Struggles
Hincapie's World Cup campaign with Ecuador has been disappointing. After a 1-0 stoppage-time loss to Ivory Coast in their opening Group E match, Ecuador were held to a 0-0 draw against Curacao. They now face a must-win game against Germany to advance to the knockout stages.
