Liverpool have recently been linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, and a new update has revealed the saga is progressing quite quickly.
How old is Piero Hincapie?
The Ecuadorian is still only 21 years of age, but has already matured into a formidable centre-back for Leverkusen, having arrived there from Talleres in 2021. He has made 76 apperances for the Bundesliga side, as well as starting three matches for Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup.
Hincapie is arguably one of the most highly-rated young centre-backs in Europe at the moment, given the strides he has made at his current club, so it is no surprise that there is interest in his signature. He is contracted to Leverkusen until the summer of 2027, however, so it could take a hefty bid to prise him away any time soon, putting them in a strong bargaining position.
There is no question that Liverpool could do with a left-sided centre-back this summer, in order to boost their defensive options and bring in more competition for Andy Robertson, who is still taking time to adjust to a new role that sees him move centrally more often than before from left-back.
One rumour earlier in the week suggested that Hincapie is being looked at as a potential target and now a new claim has further backed it up.
Will Liverpool sign Piero Hincapie?
According to Teradeportes on Twitter X, Liverpool are already having discussions with Hincapie’s representatives over a move to Anfield, although West Ham are also in the same position.
“As reported by@FT_schneidi, West Ham and Liverpool are interested and are in talks with Piero Hincapie’s team, they also confirmed that Leipzig is still interested in the Ecuadorian and they are also talking, Leverkusen would be looking for a sale of around €45m (£38.5m).”
This is an exciting update for Liverpool supporters, considering Hincapie could be absolutely perfect to come in and bolster that left-sided area at the back this summer, especially with fellow target Goncalo Inacio signing a new deal at Sporting CP and therefore not heading to Merseyside.
The youngster has everything in his locker to be a success for the Reds, whether it be his quality on the ball, his defensive nous or his versatility, with left-back a position he can also thrive in, if needed.
Last season, Hincapie made an average of 2.5 clearances and won two aerial duels per game in the Bundesliga, and he also enjoyed an 85.1% pass completion rate at the World Cup. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded him as a “fantastic defender”, also highlighting “80% of ground duels won” and “64% of aerial duels won” in the Europa League in 2022/23, which further shows what a big talent he is.
If Liverpool could get a deal over the line over the next couple of weeks, and bring in a new defensive midfielder as well, their summer work will be complete and Jurgen Klopp should feel that he has a squad that can fight across four different competitions, mounting a potential Premier League title challenge in the process.