Arsenal are preparing to make Piero Hincapie’s loan move permanent in the summer, with a £45m deal set to be greenlit at the end of the season, reports TEAMtalk.
Hincapie, who was tentatively linked with a Tottenham switch, moved to the Emirates on deadline day last year, joining the Gunners on loan for the campaign.
The Premier League leaders have the option to make the move permanent, meaning they’d have had the chance to send the defender back to Bayer Leverkusen had he failed to make his mark in the capital.
Hincapie shining for Arsenal
However, Hincapie has proven a key player for Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing side, slotting in seamlessly at both centre-back and left-back where required, though his start to life in England was hindered by a groin injury sustained in October.
The Ecuador international has since gone on to start 15 league games for the Premier League leaders, and was given the nod ahead of Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back in Sunday’s North London Derby.
Arsenal eased past Tottenham
Eberechi Eze fired the Gunners ahead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend before Randal Kolo Muani drew Spurs level in the first half in Igor Tudor’s first game in charge.
Arsenal responded through Viktor Gyokeres shortly after the restart and doubled their advantage on the hour mark as Eze bagged his second.
Gyokeres then scored his second and Arsenal’s fourth as Arsenal re-opened a five-point lead at the top of the table in a resounding 4-1 win over their relegation-threatened rivals.
‘He’s a warrior’
Arteta has previously spoken fondly about ‘warrior’ Hincapie, stating: “He’s a warrior. He’s going to bring such intensity, physicality, and emotion to the team as well. He’s quality on the ball – he’s a player who is super keen.
“He can play inside, he can play in wide positions, he’s done it, as you said, in different ways, and now we need to get him up to speed because the moment that physically he’s at his best, he’s going to raise the level.”
Both Arsenal and Hincapie have agreed a five-year deal in principle as part of the deal that took the defender to England last summer.
Arsenal will hope to maintain their title push when they take on rivals Chelsea on Sunday afternoon following a rare week off in a packed season as the Gunners look to win their first league title in over 20 years.
Source: Livescore