Tottenham Hotspur face yet another transfer being hijacked by Arsenal after their respective bids for Piero Hincapie.
The Bayer Leverkusen defender has emerged as a key target for numerous Premier League clubs after news of his £52million release clause emerged, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs all keen on Hincapie.
Tottenham had emerged as front-runners to sign Hincapie as part of a three-pronged transfer spree also involving Savinho and Eberechi Eze, but have so far been unable to get any of those deals over the line.
Fabrizio Romano reported via X on Monday that Tottenham‘s latest approach to Leverkusen involved a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy out that £52m release clause next summer, but a late spanner has now been thrown in the works.
Arsenal set to hijack another Spurs deal
Tottenham had also opened talks over personal terms with the Ecuador international as part of that loan-to-buy agreement with Leverkusen, but they’re once again set to face competition from their arch rivals.
Arsenal have already hijacked one Tottenham transfer this summer, swooping in late to pluck Eze from under their noses and agree a £60m deal with Crystal Palace – a deal which has now been completed.
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Eze was unveiled in Arsenal’s number 10 shirt before their 5-0 win over Leeds on 23 August, and David Ornstein has now reported that the Gunners have entered the race to sign Hincapie ahead of Spurs.
The Athletic journalist posted on X to report on Monday that Arsenal are “working” on a deal to sign the 23-year-old immediately this summer, with Hincapie making Leverkusen aware of his desire to leave.
Arsenal’s approach hasn’t bee made with an attempt to loan Hincapie for a season before paying his £52m release clause, as Mikel Arteta‘s side will instead look to pay a more “realistic” fee this summer.
Tottenham set for further turmoil at the hands of Arsenal
Football Insider Verdict
Losing James Maddison for over half the new season with an ACL injury had re-ignited Tottenham’s interest in Eze and led to 10 days of talks at Crystal Palace, only for Arsenal to swoop in at the 11th hour.
Now, Spurs could miss out on yet another big-money target in a position they’re short of numbers, with Hincapie’s ability to cover both centre-back and left-back making him a vital option for Thomas Frank.
Arsenal’s central defensive and left-back stocks are nowhere near as threadbare as Tottenham’s, and fans will be getting the impression that this latest hijack is nothing more than an attempt to spite Spurs.