Arsenal agree Piero Hincapie deal to trigger second transfer before deadline

Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen. The Gunners are said to have agreed a loan deal with the Bundesliga side that includes an option to buy the Ecuador international for £45million.

The move is set to see Mikel Arteta add greater depth to his defence as sporting director Andrea Berta brings in an eighth player of the summer. Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera and Eberechi Eze have already arrived in north London.

Hincapie, 23, has racked up 166 appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen and won the Bundesliga under Xavi Alonso in 2023/24. The defender was noted to have a £50m release clause but Arsenal have managed to secure a cheaper deal despite a contract until 2029 and interest from Tottenham, Newcastle and Liverpool.

The deal will permit Jakub Kiwior to depart the Emirates for Porto in the coming days. BBC report Hincapie is viewed as a direct replacement for the Polish star.

And Arsenal's priority in the final days of the window will now be facilitating exits after a significant summer of spending. The team are said to be mindful of complying with UEFA's squad cost ratio regulations.

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In addition to Kiwior, Arsenal could yet wave goodbye to Reiss Nelson. The academy product has been linked with Fulham and Crystal Palace in recent months.

But Gabriel Martinelli looks set to stay, despite the arrival of Eze last week. Arteta confirmed the Brazilian remained part of his plans when asked if the winger could depart.

"No, and I think Gabi's been a super important player for us and is going to remain to be very, very, very important," he said in his press conference on Friday.

"And the fact that we have options with different qualities is going to fulfill what we want because every opponent is going to require different things. And then the state, the moment, the way that those players are impacting the game and that competition is needed.

"We're having many other areas on the pitch and it's needed, especially in the front line, to start the game and to finish the game. So I'm very happy with what we have."

Young winger Ismeal Kabia is to head to Shrewsbury Town on a season-long loan deal however. The Dutchman, who has already scored and assisted for the Gunners’ U21s in the Premier League 2 this season is now set for a taste of senior football in League Two.

It’s a straight loan deal that will see Kabia return to north London at the end of the campaign. Kabia made the Arsenal bench last season in a 1-0 win over north London rivals Tottenham.

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