He's tired of waiting for Xabi Alonso and will sign with Arsenal like Zubimendi

These last few days have been full of movement in the transfer market. One of the most notable is Piero Hincapié's departure from Bayer Leverkusen to head to Arsenal. According to information from Fabrizio Romano, the German club has reached an agreement for a loan with a purchase option for the Ecuadorian.

According to what we know at Defensa Central, Hincapié was on Xabi Alonso's radar for this summer transfer window. After having spent several seasons together at Leverkusen, the coach set his sights on Hincapié to strengthen Real Madrid's defense. His profile fit perfectly with a system that Xabi had already used at the aspirin team.

However, after Huijsen, Real Madrid hasn't signed any other center-backs this summer. Although it could have taken advantage of the good relationship between Xabi and Hincapié, the club chose to focus on other center-backs. Ibrahima Konaté, who is in his last contract season, is one of the players who has most attracted Real Madrid's attention.

Another star to the Premier League

After signing for Bayer Leverkusen during the summer of 2021, Piero Hincapié quickly grew in the team. Under Xabi Alonso's leadership, the center-back became an undisputed starter alongside Jonathan Tah. The 4,143 min. (3,788 min.) he played last season show the importance of the 23-year-old center-back at the German club.

In addition to his defensive solidity, Hincapié also stands out for his aerial play and good ball control. His maturity has also allowed him to focus completely on his tasks on the field. With a value of 50 million euros according to Transfermarkt, his signing was affordable for Real Madrid.

Nevertheless, despite Xabi's interest in having the Ecuadorian again, Real Madrid has other plans. For this summer transfer window, the club no longer plans to make any more signings. This allowed Mikel Arteta's Arsenal to be close to finalizing the transfer of a center-back established in the elite and with many seasons ahead at a high level.

Real Madrid's defense

After Hincapié's imminent signing for Arsenal, Real Madrid's defense would include Huijsen, Rüdiger, Militao, Asencio, and Alaba. Although Huijsen has shown his worth, Xabi still has doubts about the others. While all are expected to get minutes due to rotations, the arrival of another center-back for next summer isn't ruled out.