Arsenal make Hincapie permanent: €52 million

Premier League giants Arsenal have made official an important transfer that strengthens their defence for the long term. Mikel Arteta's side signed Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie, whom they took on loan last season, permanently from Bayer Leverkusen for €52 million. A 10 per cent sell-on clause in Leverkusen's favour was also added to the deal.

The structure of the transfer rests on a striking piece of planning. Hincapie's arrival at Arsenal was initially announced as a loan; but multiple sources have confirmed the deal was always designed to become permanent, with that structure set up purely for Financial Fair Play (FFP) accounting. This method echoes the model Arsenal used a few years ago when signing keeper David Raya from Brentford. Fabrizio Romano also reported that the five-year contract between Hincapie and Arsenal was already signed and that the player "already feels like an Arsenal player on a permanent transfer."

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said they would have loved to keep the player but were proud of his development. Rolfes praised the defender, who has made more than 100 appearances for Leverkusen since 2021 and played a key role in the club's 2023/24 Bundesliga title: "We would have loved to keep Piero. Now we're happy to see him again. Because his time with us was a fantastic success story. He has matured into a top international player with us."

With a versatile profile, Hincapie can operate at both centre-back and left-back, offering extra options to Arteta's defence with that quality. The 24-year-old, also one of Ecuador's important players, fits the profile Arsenal have targeted in recent seasons with his composure on the ball and tactical flexibility. With this transfer Arsenal both increased their defensive depth and added, for the long term, a player entering the most productive period of his career.

Image: Bendito Futbol