Tottenham Hotspur have been asked to fork out £34 million for the services of Bayer Leverkusen’s defensive prodigy Piero Hincapie.
According to a report from The Sun, Bayer Leverkusen have slapped a £34 million price tag on Piero Hincapie. The Bundesliga outfit are well aware of the interest brewing around the youngster, who is regarded as one of the most gifted young defenders in world football.
Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs interested in securing the services of Hincapie ahead of the new season. Having already roped in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, and Yves Bissouma, it appears coach Antonio Conte is now targeting a left-sided centre-back that can add real quality to the back three.
Alessandro Bastoni was believed to be Spurs’ top target this summer. But the Italian international appears to have pledged his future at Inter Milan, forcing Tottenham to scour the market for alternatives.
One of the options is Piero Hincapie. Formerly of Independiente del Valle, in his native Ecuador, the young centre-back joined Leverkusen last summer after impressing the onlookers with his performances in the Ecuadorian top-flight. He had established himself as a gifted defender, with an eye for technicality, convincing the Bundesliga outfit to secure his services.
It was a risky investment on Leverkusen’s part but one that appears to have paid off. Hincapie made 27 competitive appearances in his maiden season in the Bundesliga, making waves with his ability on the ball and overall aggression that made him a daunting opposition, even in a league dominated by gifted attackers.
Hincapie’s stock grew further when he impressed at the international level with Ecuador. Bagging 19 caps at the age of just 20, the defender played a key role in helping his nation qualify for the FIFA World Cup, effectively establishing himself as one of the most gifted young defenders on the planet.
Buoyed by his performances for club and country, Tottenham head coach Conte wants to rope in Hincapie ahead of the new season. The Italian tactician likely sees the 20-year-old as an ideal defensive partner for Eric Dier and Cristian Romero and an upgrade over Ben Davies on the left-hand side of the Tottenham back three.
However, with Bayer Leverkusen holding out for a fee of £34 million, it will be interesting to see whether Tottenham opt to reach deep in their pockets to secure the services of the Ecuadorian international this summer.
