Barcelona enquire about Arsenal loanee Piero Hincapie as left-side defensive cover

Barcelona have contacted Arsenal to explore the availability of defender Piero Hincapie, whose €52m option to buy from Bayer Leverkusen remains unexercised, according to DM via ESPN.

Hincapie joined Arsenal on loan last season and has made 38 appearances — 29 as a starter — scoring once and contributing two assists. He featured prominently enough to start the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Atlético Madrid, and spent much of the second half of the campaign at left-back after beginning the season in central defence.

Barcelona’s interest reflects an ongoing uncertainty over their left-sided defensive options. The club were heavily linked with Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni in April and reportedly agreed personal terms with the Italian, but manager Hansi Flick’s reservations ultimately ended that pursuit. Since then, Barcelona have committed €80m to signing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United, with Bernardo Silva and Julián Álvarez understood to be their next targets in attack. Gerard Martín is currently viewed internally as the long-term solution at left-sided centre-back, though that confidence has not fully settled the position.

Hincapie, 24, brings considerable experience to any potential suitor. He has earned 51 caps for Ecuador and was part of the Bayer Leverkusen side that won the Bundesliga, before adding Premier League appearances to his CV at Arsenal. His best form at Leverkusen came in a back three, and his increased use at left-back under Mikel Arteta raises questions about how naturally he would adapt to anchoring a back four from centre-back — the role Barcelona would most likely require.

Barcelona were credited with interest in Hincapie as far back as 2025, making this renewed enquiry a continuation of a longer-running thread rather than a sudden pivot. Whether Arsenal choose to activate their purchase option will determine whether any move is even possible.