Even as Chelsea are mostly linked with moves for attacking midfielders Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho, many fans feel the biggest remaining need in the squad ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League and Champions League seasons is another defender.
Chelsea did sign one of the best young left backs and center backs in European football this summer in Ajax’s Jorrel Hato, who was wanted by a number of giants on the continent, including hated London rivals Arsenal.
But with Levi Colwill injured, even Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has publicly admitted that the London Blues need to bag another center back. Without Colwill, the already questionable back line could be in serious trouble, especially if Chelsea want to build on their conquest of PSG and the Club World Cup by competing with the real giants of Europe at the Champions League level.
According to a report from Jose Cedeno Mendoza of Bolavip, Chelsea are still interested in signing long-time center back target Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen and are prepared to make an offer exceeding 60 million euros for the 23-year-old this summer.
The Bayer Leverkusen star is one of the best in the Bundesliga
Hincapie’s name has been surprisingly cold on the summer 2025 transfer market, because in past windows, he was one of the most popular names linked to Premier League clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
Chelsea have been intermittently linked to the versatile defender this summer, and with Colwill out, stealing away Hincapie from Erik ten Hag and Bayer Leverkusen could make a lot of sense for Todd Boehly and Co.
Hincapie has become a more reliable defender and has years of experience starting in the Bundesliga, and even though he’s only 23, the time has a starter has made him less prone to mistakes.
Last season, Hincapie had 4 goal contributions and 2.6 combined tackles and interceptions with 0.5 dribbles completed allowed per game. He also completed nearly 90 percent of his passes, starting 27 games as a center back and 14 on the left side of the formation.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2011. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has contributed to sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. Joe’s work has appeared in ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling, respectively.