Arsenal move for Piero Hincapie after Tottenham bid as second Spurs hijack looms

Arsenal have accelerated talks to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Ecuador international Piero Hincapie, moving to meet the German champions’ demand for the full £52 million release clause and shutting the door on a loan structure Tottenham had tried to build. Multiple outlets, including Fabrizio Romano and Football.London, say personal terms with the defender are already in place and the player has told intermediaries he prefers the Emirates over a switch across north London.

If Arsenal close this, it would be their second raid on a Tottenham target in the same window after landing Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace. Spurs had been deep in conversations with Leverkusen about a loan with an obligation to buy once certain conditions were hit. Leverkusen’s stance never shifted: pay the clause now or don’t bother. Arsenal’s willingness to go straight to the buyout figure has flipped the race.

Hincapie, 23, has been central to Xabi Alonso’s back line over the past four seasons and was part of last season’s title-winning side. Left-footed, quick, comfortable in wide spaces, he can play as the left centre-back in a two, tuck in as the outside centre-back in a three, or cover left-back if needed. He has 46 caps with Ecuador and a growing reputation for reading danger early, stepping into midfield to break lines, and recovering when space opens up behind him.

For Arsenal, this is about depth and control. Mikel Arteta has leaned on William Saliba and Gabriel as his go-to pairing, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber both flexible options when healthy. The drop-off whenever injuries pile up has been the worry. Adding another high-level left-footer gives Arteta a like-for-like rotation with Gabriel and the flexibility to flip to a back three without losing balance down the left.

This move also fits Arsenal’s broader pattern: act decisively when a release clause creates certainty. A fixed price means no long haggles and less risk of an auction spiralling—especially handy when the rival bidder is your neighbour. The swift pivot from Tottenham’s loan talks to a straight buy is a classic Premier League power play: if you can pay now, you control the timeline.

Why Hincapie suits Arteta’s build

Arsenal’s back line has been built to squeeze teams: high line, aggressive rest defence, and full-backs who can step inside. Hincapie’s comfort on the ball and willingness to defend in space fit that brief. He starts attacks with sharp passes into midfield or carries through the first line of pressure, and he’s happy to defend 1v1 on the touchline when the full-back has rotated inside.

Arteta also values defenders who can operate in multiple structures. With Timber able to invert from the right and Oleksandr Zinchenko doing the same on the left, a left-sided centre-back who can shuffle wide without panicking is gold. Hincapie has lived that role under Alonso, who regularly asked his outside centre-backs to engage wingers early, hold width in build-up, and then compress the field as soon as possession was lost.

There’s a character element too. Hincapie broke through young, took the jump to Europe, and adapted quickly in Germany. He played big minutes in pressure games while Leverkusen chased an unbeaten run and a title. The Premier League is a step up in pace and physicality, sure, but the profile—left-footed, fast, aggressive, used to high responsibility—is exactly what Arsenal have prioritised since Arteta and sporting director Edu reset recruitment around age, athleticism, and tactical IQ.

Does he walk into the XI? That’s the question he’ll ask. Arsenal aren’t courting him as a project; they see an immediate competitor for minutes with Gabriel, and a player who can start when Arteta wants to tilt his shape. Depth with real starters is the point. If everyone is fit, Arteta can still pick horses for courses—Saliba’s locked in, Gabriel’s been a pillar, but a run of midweek fixtures and the need to protect against muscle injuries means three top-level centre-backs is the new normal.

On the numbers, the £52m fee (roughly €60m) for a 23-year-old starting international is steep but within modern market logic, especially with English clubs paying premiums for left-footed centre-backs. It’s also a cleaner deal because of the clause: no sell-on negotiations, no add-ons to argue over, no option-to-obligation dance. Pay it, and you’re done.

What it means for Spurs, Leverkusen, and the clock

For Tottenham, this would sting. Ange Postecoglou wants a left-sided defender who can hold a high line and handle isolation. Spurs have chased that profile all summer while also shopping for a left winger and a creator. Missing out, again, to Arsenal would raise the temperature around their recruitment, even if Spurs pivot quickly to the next name on their list.

It’s the second time in weeks that the clubs’ strategies have collided. Arsenal moving decisively on Eze—another player Spurs liked—signalled a willingness to pay for Premier League-ready talent and remove risk. If Hincapie follows, it suggests Arsenal’s board is comfortable front-loading spend to lock key pieces before the window’s final week chaos begins.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, aren’t keen sellers. Letting a core defender go right after lifting the Bundesliga is tough, especially after an unexpected league defeat to Hoffenheim to open the campaign. But Germany’s release clauses leave clubs with little control if the buyer meets the number and the player says yes. The upside is clarity and cash on day one of the sale, which can be turned around quickly if a replacement is lined up.

Leverkusen’s refusal to entertain a loan with an obligation wasn’t posturing. A clause is binary: either you trigger it or you don’t. A loan would have kicked money down the road and tied their hands next summer. This way, they keep leverage, send a message to the market, and avoid being left short if performance triggers in a loan deal never materialise.

So what’s left to do? There are a few standard steps that follow once a club decides to pay a clause:

• Formal notification to Leverkusen and the league, followed by immediate payment arrangements for the clause amount.
• Finalising personal terms, image rights, and the contract length—largely mapped out already if reports are right.
• Medical and physical assessments, which can be scheduled quickly once the fee is agreed.
• Work permit and international clearance. With 46 senior caps, Hincapie comfortably meets the threshold under the points system.
• Registration before the Premier League deadline. The window shuts on 1 September at 11pm in England, so timing matters.

Tactically for Arsenal, the short-term impact would be rotation and competition. Expect Arteta to manage minutes across the left side of defence, use Hincapie to close out games when protecting a lead, and lean on his passing to break stubborn mid-blocks at the Emirates. Against high-transition sides, that recovery pace on the cover channel could become a key tool.

There’s also a useful knock-on: with Hincapie in, Arsenal can push Tomiyasu and Timber into hybrid roles more freely or protect Zinchenko when managing his load. Squad strength isn’t just about starters; it’s about preserving balance when Plan A is disrupted.

From Spurs’ angle, the immediate task is to move fast on alternatives without overpaying in a seller’s market. Missing on a target isn’t fatal; missing and hesitating can be. The left side of their defence still needs reinforcing for Postecoglou’s aggressive setup, and they know that every rival scout can see it too.

For Hincapie, the choice appears clear. The pull of Champions League football, a title challenge, and a defined role in a possession-heavy side makes sense for his next step. He’s at the age where the next two seasons will set his ceiling. The Premier League will test his duels, aerials, and decision-making under pressure. If the deal lands, he’ll get those reps quickly.

As ever with summer windows, nothing is finished until the money hits and the medical is done. But the shape of the race has changed. Arsenal are prepared to pay what Leverkusen want, the player is aligned, and the clock is now a factor. If all goes to plan, this could be wrapped up in days, not weeks—and it would mark another pointed win for Arsenal in a window where they’ve made a habit of stepping in at the critical moment.