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EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal pushing to seal Hincapie deal but one major hurdle remains
Steve Kay
- Updated: 28 Feb 2026 03:25 CST
- 3 min read
News
Arsenal expect to complete the purchase of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen on a permanent basis, but FootballTransfers can reveal there is still one significant issue that needs to be resolved before a deal is completed.
Hincapie joined Arsenal on loan from the Bundesliga giants at the end of the summer transfer window and, after overcoming early injury issues, has impressed at the Emirates.
He has featured as a central defender but has more recently been deployed as a left-back, where he has earned the shirt ahead of Riccardo Calafiori.
The 24-year-old has impressed sufficiently that Arsenal are ready to buy him for €52 million.
Piero Hincapie in Arsenal contract talks
Hincapie’s purchase option was a clause included in the initial agreement between Arsenal and Leverkusen, but the terms of his contract if the Gunners were to buy that out were not.
The North London club are currently working on this deal.
FootballTransfers understands that the contract framework Arsenal are proposing is a four-year agreement with the option of one additional year. This represents a longer deal than the 2029 agreement that Hincapie currently has at Leverkusen.
On top of that, he would also receive a significant pay bump. The Gunners are offering him wages in the region of £100,000 (€115,000) per week.
Arsenal secure €10m discount on Hincapie
Arsenal are set to get a massive discount on Hincapie, even when the €6m they paid for the initial cost of the loan is factored in.
The Ecuador international defender, who has been described as a “warrior” by Arteta, has seen his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) rise to €67.2m since he joined the Emirates club, yet the combined cost of loan and transfer fee that the Gunners will pay will only be €58m.
Arteta’s side have, therefore, negotiated a fee roughly €10m less than the true worth of the player.
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