Piero Hincapie has agreed on personal terms with Arsenal as he prefers a switch to Mikel Arteta’s side over North London rivals Tottenham.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have managed to get an agreement with Piero Hincapie on personal terms. The Ecuadorian defender is eager to make the move to the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta viewing him as an ideal fit for his squad, as the defender prefers a switch to Arsenal over fellow north London rivals Tottenham.
Arsenal were expected to make another signing after the arrival of Eberechi Eze, although many had anticipated the new player to be on the attacking side. However, it appears Mikel Arteta is now looking to bring in a replacement defender for Jakub Kiwior.
Kiwior is getting close to joining FC Porto, with the two clubs inching towards a loan deal with a buy obligation. Arsenal have moved quickly to find a replacement for the Pole, as they made an approach for Piero Hincapie on Monday, and once again, the deal is moving rapidly.
Earlier on Monday, Tottenham had approached Piero Hincapie with the suggestion that they offered a loan with a buy obligation that is close to his €60 million release clause, as per Give Me Sport. However, with the arrival of Arsenal in the race, Hincapie has since leaned towards joining Arteta’s setup over Spurs.
Hincapie had been keen to leave Bayer Leverkusen, and it appears the Bundesliga giants are eager to get a deal for him close to the release clause. Whether that is what Arsenal are thinking at the moment remains to be seen, as suggestions state the Gunners are possibly set to enter into negotiations to reduce the asking price.
Piero Hincapie agrees on personal terms with Arsenal
Despite Tottenham’s interest, Hincapie has chosen Arsenal as his preferred destination and has now agreed on personal terms. Andrea Berta has moved swiftly to find favourable terms with the €60 million-rated defender, and now it is about club-to-club talks to find middle ground over the transfer fee.
On the quality of the player, he could be a solid upgrade on Kiwior, with the Ecuadorian capable of playing as a centre-back or as a left-back. Arteta might view him as a cover or competition for Riccardo Calafiori as well as for Gabriel Magalhaes, and his arrival could allow the manager to use Myles Lewis-Skelly more in midfield as the season progresses.