Piero Hincapie Arsenal loan confirmed from Bayer Leverkusen with a £45m option to buy. Arteta hails defender’s versatility and maturity

Piero Hincapie Arsenal deal has been confirmed, with the Premier League side signing the Ecuadorian defender on a season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen, including a £45 million option to buy at the end of the campaign.

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The 23-year-old, who played over 100 matches for Leverkusen and was key to their 2023–24 Bundesliga title triumph, becomes Arsenal’s eighth signing since last season.

Manager Mikel Arteta welcomed the versatile defender, praising his tactical flexibility and leadership qualities. “We are so pleased to welcome Piero Hincapie to the club.

He has a real physical presence, with his versatility and tactical flexibility giving us strong added defensive options,” Arteta said.

The Spanish boss added, “He is a big character, with a very good combination of both youth and maturity. He will make our squad stronger and more competitive as we continue into this season. We welcome Piero and his family to Arsenal.”

Hincapie has already earned 46 caps for Ecuador, featuring at the 2022 World Cup and Copa America tournaments in 2021 and 2024.

He will wear the number five shirt at Arsenal and join the squad after international duty with Ecuador.

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The defender follows Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera, and Eberechi Eze as Arteta’s latest recruits, signaling the Gunners’ intent to build depth and versatility for the new campaign.