Arsenal have officially confirmed the arrival of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen on a season-long loan, according to Arsenal.com.
The move comes after Jakub Kiwior’s departure to FC Porto in a deal worth up to £23m, which left Mikel Arteta needing defensive reinforcement. Hincapie quickly became the preferred option, and negotiations with Leverkusen wrapped up swiftly.
The 23-year-old defender bid farewell to his teammates after being an unused substitute in Leverkusen’s 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen on Saturday. He then flew to London on Sunday, where he completed his medical and finalised the switch.
Arsenal completed the paperwork in time for the transfer deadline, and the Ecuadorian has now been unveiled as their latest signing.
Hincapie joins on an initial loan with Arsenal holding the option to make the deal permanent for £45m next summer.
Leverkusen will also receive a 10% sell-on fee as part of the agreement. Both clubs structured the transfer as a loan with an option to buy for financial reporting purposes, and the expectation is that the move will become permanent in 2026.
This signing is part of a major summer rebuild led by Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta. Hincapie becomes Arsenal’s eighth big addition following Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Nørgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Viktor Gyökeres, and Eberechi Eze.
The versatile defender can operate at both centre-back and left-back, giving Arteta greater flexibility in his back line.
Since joining Leverkusen from Argentine side CA Talleres in 2021, Hincapie has built a reputation as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest defensive talents. He leaves the German club after 166 appearances and brings with him 46 caps for Ecuador’s national team, making him an experienced option despite his young age.
Hincapie will link up with his new teammates after the international break and will wear the No.5 shirt. He could be included in the squad for Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium on September 13.
Below are more photos of him in Arsenal’s shirt:
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