Real Madrid target Hincapie as Martinelli signals openness to Arsenal exit

Real Madrid have made an inquiry over Piero Hincapie, threatening to derail Arsenal’s expected permanent signing of the Ecuadorian defender, while Gabriel Martinelli has emerged as a potential departure from the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Hincapie hijack bid

Arsenal signed Hincapie on a season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen last summer with an obligation to buy for £45m, and a permanent transfer has been widely anticipated. However, ESPN report that Real Madrid — under newly appointed manager Jose Mourinho, who has already brought in four new players — are seeking a left-footed centre-back capable of playing at left-back, and Hincapie fits that profile precisely.

The 24-year-old ended his debut season in England as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice left-back, making 25 Premier League appearances in Arsenal’s title-winning campaign and a further 14 in cup competitions. He is currently away at the World Cup, after which he had been widely expected to return as a permanent Arsenal player.

Martinelli open to move abroad

Separately, The Times reports that Gabriel Martinelli is open to leaving Arsenal this summer and is keen to explore a move abroad. The Brazilian forward, 25, has one year remaining on his contract — with an option to extend by a further season — and his future has become uncertain as Arteta publicly identifies the left-wing position as the squad’s most urgent area for improvement.

Arteta has been candid that neither Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard currently offers the world-class quality he believes is needed to elevate Arsenal to the next level in Europe, following last month’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Martinelli has spent seven seasons at Arsenal, scoring 62 goals in 278 appearances, and his relative youth means he could command a higher fee than Trossard, potentially making him the first of the two to depart.

Heavy summer spending expected

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is working to balance significant incomings with necessary sales. The club are targeting three to five high-quality additions this window, with overall expenditure expected to match last summer’s club-record £250m outlay — a direction underscored by Josh Kroenke’s admission that winning the Premier League alone is not sufficient ambition for the club.