Arsenal transfer news: Leverkusen make Piero Hincapie stance clear after Gunners delay move

Arsenal are still trying to add to Mikel Arteta’s squad as the summer transfer window nears deadline day, with Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie their priority

Arsenal have been extremely busy in the summer transfer window and are not done yet as deadline day fast approaches.

The Gunners’ squad has been overhauled, with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze all joining Mikel Arteta’s side. That has come at a cost of around £260million and, unlike their rivals, Arsenal have struggled to sell.

Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira remain contracted players at the Emirates and the Gunners will hope to find buyers in the coming days. Meanwhile, there is another incoming deal on the cards as sporting director Andrea Berta continues his hard work.

Arteta’s side have made a perfect start to their Premier League campaign as they look to go one better than the second-place finish of the past three seasons. They face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday and will hope their new signings can make all the difference. Here Mirror Football looks at the latest deals in the pipeline.

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Leverkusen respond to Hincapie interest

Piero Hincapie has emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal in the last few days, with the Bayer Leverkusen star eyed to bolster Arteta’s defence. As Mirror Football reported on Tuesday, Leverkusen are playing hard ball over the 23-year-old, who is under contract until June 2029.

The German side have lost Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Granit Xhaka to the Premier League this summer so are under no pressure to sell Hincapie. He has a £52m (€60m) release clause and Leverkusen won’t budge in negotiations.

The club’s sporting director Simon Rolfes has now spoken publicly on the situation. He said: “We still haven’t received an official offer from any club, so he’s our player and [we] would like to see him continue with us.”

Kiwior delay explained

Jakub Kiwior has agreed a five-year contract with Porto and is keen to leave Arsenal, where he has struggled for game time. It is his impending departure that prompted the Gunners’ interest in Hincapie, but things haven’t been sorted yet.

Mirror Football reported that Porto were keen to fly the Poland international into Portugal on a private jet on Tuesday night for a medical, but that didn’t happen. That is because Arsenal have not sanctioned his exit just yet.

Arsenal are still happy to do business – this is just an administrative delay – and Porto will pay €27m (£23m) for the 25-year-old defender. His exit could speed up negotiations with Leverkusen over Hincapie.

Hincapie deal questioned

Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn has questioned the need to spend so much money on a back-up defender, considering Arsenal have already signed Mosquera from Valencia. “It’s one to watch, but it seems like it might just be a long shot that came up,” he told Metro.

“If it were to happen, I’m sure it would mean Kiwior going. But Mosquera has come in and he’s got to play in that position and develop as well.

“Maybe they are thinking they need one more but 60 million [euros] to sit on your bench? It seems quite a lot of money to me and it would probably go a little bit against what Arsenal have done in the past. Let’s watch and see, but if it were to happen, it would be a big statement of intent.”

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