Arsenal face a minor stumbling block in their quest to make Piero Hincapie’s signing permanent ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Football Transfers, Arsenal must overcome a minor obstacle in their bid to keep Piero Hincapie permanently. The left-sided defender has hugely impressed during his loan spell this season, and while the Gunners are reportedly eager to trigger their €52 million option to buy, they must also resolve a small issue in the process.
Arsenal had a tremendous summer window under the leadership of Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta, with the latter leading the proceedings behind the scenes. The Gunners signed eight new first-team players to massively improve their squad depth, which has, in turn, turned them into challengers on all fronts.
Of those eight players, the latest arrival was Piero Hincapie on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, with the Gunners holding a €52 million option to buy. Initially seen as quality cover across multiple defensive roles on the left-hand side, the Ecuadorian first impressed as a centre-back and, in recent weeks, he has become Arteta’s first-choice left-back.
Hincapie seems happy with his role at the Emirates Stadium, even if he may not be an automatic starter every week. Arsenal are ready to make his signing permanent, with the club prepared to trigger the buy option in the €52 million-rated utility man’s contract, having already paid a significant loan fee to Bayern Leverkusen last summer.
There have been rumours of rival interest in the Ecuadorian, including admiration from Barcelona, among others. However, it appears Arsenal are in pole position to keep the defender at the club for many years, although there might be a minor stumbling block.
Can Arsenal resolve the said stumbling block?
Arsenal are reportedly ready to offer Piero Hincapie a four-year deal once his loan spell ends, with an option for an additional season included in the agreement. However, the stumbling block mentioned in the report is their ability to persuade the Ecuadorian to agree to personal terms.
The Gunners are reportedly willing to increase Hincapie current salary by offering wages in the region of £100,000 per week. That may resonate well with the player, given what he currently earns under his deal at Leverkusen, meaning Arsenal may be able to overcome the minor stumbling block and keep Hincapie for the long term.
