Barcelona have made contact with the camp of Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie as they look for a centre-back in January, but the Gunners are in no hurry to let him go.
According to Sport, sporting director Deco has spoken to the representatives of the 24-year-old to find out whether he would be open to a move in the winter window. Hansi Flick is said to like his profile, and Hincapie has climbed towards the top of the Catalan club’s list of defensive targets.
It is an early, exploratory approach rather than a bid. There is no offer on the table, and Arsenal are not looking to sell a squad player in the middle of a season that has them playing every three or four days.
Why do Barcelona want Piero Hincapie?
It comes down to versatility. Piero Hincapie is left-footed and can play at centre-back or left-back, which is exactly the kind of cover Flick wants. That matters more at Barcelona because Alejandro Balde is expected to leave in January, which would leave a gap down the left as well as in the middle.
The Ecuadorian is not the only name. Barcelona’s early shortlist also includes Alessandro Bastoni, Josko Gvardiol, Natan and Lisandro Martinez, and they have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho too. Sky have reported that Barcelona asked about Bastoni.
How much has Hincapie played for Arsenal this season?
Not a lot. He has made seven appearances so far, and only two of them were starts. Physical problems have played a part, including the ankle injury that kept him out before he returned to the bench against Everton, and so has the competition for places in Mikel Arteta’s back line.
That competition is about to get tougher. William Saliba is fit again after his back injury, and Arteta said in Prague that he now has a luxury he has not had all season. We covered what he said about Saliba’s return and the no-surgery route. Ezri Konsa has been excellent next to Gabriel, and on the left Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly are both ahead of Hincapie for now.
Calafiori has his own admirers in Spain, with Real Madrid making the Italian Mourinho’s ‘dream’ left-back. Two Arsenal defenders on the radar of the two biggest clubs in Spain says something about how well this group has been recruited.
What would Arsenal want for him?
Hincapie first arrived from Bayer Leverkusen on loan in 2024, and Arsenal made the move permanent in the summer. Reports suggest they would ask for at least £34m, so they do not take a loss on him. For a club with Barcelona’s finances, that is a big number for a player who would arrive as cover.
Arteta does not see Hincapie as a regular starter, but he values him. With the Premier League, the Champions League and the cups all running at once, a defender who can fill two positions is useful to him too, and that is why he is reluctant to let players go in January.
Verdict: Piero Hincapie should stay at Arsenal until the summer
We can see why Barcelona like him, and we can see why he might want more football. But selling in January makes no sense for Arsenal. Injuries come in clusters at this time of year, and Hincapie is the one defender who can step in at centre-back or left-back without anyone moving around him.
He was in our Arsenal predicted lineup vs Slavia Prague at left-back for Wednesday night, with Calafiori needing a rest. A strong night in Prague would be the best answer he could give, both to Arteta and to anyone in Barcelona hoping he is available cheaply. If the minutes still do not come by the end of the season, that is the time to talk, and at a price that suits Arsenal.
