The summer transfer market brings strong winds from Spain, but the hierarchy at North London stands firm. Real Madrid continue to track the market under the guidance of their new manager Jose Mourinho. The veteran Portuguese tactician wants a left-footed defender who can patrol the center and the left flank. His eyes fell upon the Ecuador international Piero Hincapie, a man who helped Arsenal secure the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final during a grueling campaign.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The twenty-four-year-old defender was a constant presence for manager Mikel Arteta. He played forty-one matches across all competitions, scoring once and providing two assists. According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, the decision to keep the defender was made early in February. The club officially announced on June twenty-fifth that they had activated the option to buy him outright. The permanent deal became official on the first day of July.
Reports from Spain indicate that Madrid have a substantial list of targets to reinforce their backline. Based on a report from El Debate, Mourinho has made the acquisition of a new central defender his absolute priority. The Spanish giants have already spent heavily this summer, bringing in Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, and Marc Cucurella. Yet, their hunger remains unsatisfied, and Hincapie sits near the top of their wishlist alongside Manchester City defender Ruben Dias and Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori.
The financial figures are clear in the Spanish press. Real Madrid believe Hincapie would cost around sixty million euros, while his teammate Calafiori is valued closer to eighty million euros. Manchester City have already turned away approaches from the Spanish capital for Dias. Now, sources close to the situation state that Madrid will face a similar wall of rejection should they test Arsenal's resolve for their newly acquired Ecuadorian defender.
The London club values depth above all things. Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta does not want Arteta to work with a thin squad in the winter months. The club intends to move youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly further up into the midfield, leaving a vacancy in the defensive rotation that Hincapie is expected to fill. Bailey noted that Arsenal love the player and there was never any doubt about his permanent signing. Other clubs will watch, but the Gunners have no intention of letting him walk.