Arsenal have reportedly made a decision on whether to sign Piero Hincapie permanently from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Gunners signed Hincapie on a loan deal with a £45m option to buy from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer on transfer deadline day. The Ecuadorian centre-back has featured a lot this season, especially when William Saliba and Gabriel suffered injuries.
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Hincapie has made 24 appearances since moving to the Emirates, scoring one goal, and providing one assist, and the 24-year-old has become a reliable option at centre-back, but also as a left-back. Mikel Arteta has started him ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly this season at times.
Arsenal lined up a Hincapie alternative
If the Gunners decide not to sign Hincapie on a permanent basis, they have identified RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba as potential alternative to Hincapie.
Lukeba is a France international, but he is expected to cost more than Hincapie, as it has been reported that he could cost upwards of £52m in the summer.
This season, the French international has made 20 appearances for the Bundesliga side, scoring one goal, and providing one assist. He has helped Leipzig to be one of the best defensive sides in the German leagues.
The Gunners are expected to sign Hincapie
However, any move for Lukeba looks unlikely, as reports suggest that Arsenal have already made a decision on whether to sign Hincapie permanently, and it isn’t a surprising one.
According to TeamTalk, Arteta is a big fan on Hincapie, and he is keen to keep him beyond this season because of his impressive form for the Gunners this season.
The report says that Arsenal are expected to keep the 24-year-old, and it is also understood that Hincapie himself is very happy at the Emirates, and would be more than happy to make the deal a permanent one. Leverkusen have no control in the decision, so the ball very much lies in the Gunners’ court with regards to his future.
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