Arsenal Secures Piero Hincapie in Loan Deal with Bayer Leverkusen

LONDON, England — Arsenal Football Club has reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen to sign defender Piero Hincapie. The deal, confirmed on August 29, 2025, is a season-long loan with an option to buy for a total of €52 million, which includes a 10 percent sell-on clause.

The 23-year-old Ecuador international is expected to travel from Germany to London this weekend to undergo a medical examination and finalize his move to the Emirates Stadium.

Hincapie’s acquisition sets the stage for Jakub Kiwior‘s transfer to FC Porto, valued at €25 million, potentially rising to €27 million. Arsenal has pursued Hincapie for some time, believing he will significantly bolster manager Mikel Arteta‘s squad.

Despite signing a contract extension with Leverkusen last December, which runs until June 2029, Hincapie expressed his desire to leave the club. His preference was to join Arsenal, who eagerly pursued the defender once they confirmed player departures.

Porto has arranged a deal for Kiwior, contingent upon Arsenal securing Hincapie. Leverkusen, initially reluctant to lose the player, was willing to negotiate terms, aiming to reduce Hincapie’s reported €60 million release clause to a more reasonable figure.

Hincapie played over an hour in Leverkusen’s opening DFB-Pokal match, a 4-0 victory against Sonnenhof Grossaspach, and appeared visibly emotional after his team’s recent 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim.

Throughout last season, Hincapie made 34 Bundesliga appearances and started nine matches in the Champions League, demonstrating his solid defensive capabilities. He was instrumental in Leverkusen’s unbeaten run in the Bundesliga during the 2023-24 season and featured prominently in their UEFA competitions.

As Arsenal’s eighth signing this summer, Hincapie will join a defense that features William Saliba, Gabriel, and new recruits such as Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber. He has accumulated 165 appearances for Leverkusen since joining the club from Talleres in Argentina in 2021 and earned 46 caps for the Ecuador national team.

With a strong start to the 2025/26 season, winning both matches without conceding a goal, Arsenal aims to strengthen its title challenge with the addition of Hincapie and other recent signings, including Eberechi Eze and Kepa Arrizabalaga.