**Piero Hincapie** has agreed to join [**Arsenal**](https://www.vavel.com/en/data/arsenal/) permanently, leaving **Bayer Leverkusen** for good.
Hincapie had initially departed _Die Werkself_ on a season-long loan in **September 2025**, and there was reportedly an option to buy the defender for a fee of **£45 million** if the appropriate terms were met.
Arsenal's defence continues to strengthen
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He took time to earn his place in the starting eleven as **Riccardo Calafiori** continued to demonstrate match sharpness at left back and **Gabriel Magalhaes** maintained his significance in central defence. However, injuries for the pair produced opportunities for playing time over the winter, and the **24-year-old** showed why the board were right to back **Mikel Arteta** with another defensive acquisition.
Hincapie might not be the smooth operator that Calafiori is in possession, but his aggression and intensity make him a welcome alternative in the role of a left back. Most importantly, he has been a figure unfazed by pressure: the defender was named **Arsenal Player of the Month** in February and April at the times when the _Gunners_ were faltering the most clearly in the **Premier League** title race.
A proven winner's pedigree
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Indeed, Hincapie's experience of toppling a domestic juggernaut with Leverkusen would be a good omen for **Arsenal**, who lifted the trophy for the first time in the **Emirates Stadium** era. The defender made **25 league appearances** for the new champions, and 39 in all competitions, contributing to a stellar **Champions League** run with **nine clean sheets** in 14 fixtures on the way to the final.
The _Gunners_ will be glad to have kept Hincapie's services, and the defender put pen to paper for a fee of only **£34.5 million**. Standards are set to stay high for a club that have conceded the least goals in the last three **Premier League** campaigns, and their warrior will be a valuable asset for the project.