Newcastle to rival Liverpool in their pursuit of Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie
As the January transfer window beckons, Liverpool find themselves entangled in a high-stakes battle for defensive reinforcements, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie emerging as a prime target.
Following the season-ending ACL injury Joel Matip suffered against Sheffield United, the need for central defenders has shot up considerably at Liverpool. We have Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez as our other options for that position. However, considering the lack of fit midfielders at the club, Liverpool should think about advancing Trent Alexander-Arnold into the middle of the park.
If that happens, Joe Gomez will ideally feature as a right-back leaving only three eligible centre-backs. In such times, getting on board a versatile player like Hincapie will surely help the club in the short- and long term. Considering he’s only 21, he can potentially take the baton on from captain Virgil van Dijk in that role of a first-choice centre-back.
Hincapie to the Reds?
However, the Reds will likely face much competition in their pursuit of Hincapie. According to BILD, via Calciomercato [h/t ECHO], Newcastle United, AC Milan and AS Roma also want the Ecuadorian international on board at their clubs. Moreover, the road to securing Hincapie’s services is laden with financial obstacles, as any potential approach for the defender is expected to come with a substantial price tag— around €70m.
One more obstacle that Liverpool face is Leverkusen’s stance on the former Independiente man. Hincapie has played A HUGE HUGE role in Leverkusen’s unbeaten domestic campaign and is surely important for Xabi Alonso going forward towards the business end of things. Die Schwarzroten have a healthy lead in the Bundesliga and would want to finish on the strongest possible terms.
As discussions and negotiations unfold, Liverpool face critical decisions in the pursuit of Hincapie. The financial investment required raises questions about the club’s willingness to break the bank for defensive reinforcements.
As Liverpool fans anticipate the developments in the January transfer window, the prospect of securing Piero Hincapie’s signature surely adds an element of excitement. The coming weeks will reveal whether Liverpool can outmanoeuvre their rivals and secure the talented defender who could play a pivotal role in the club’s pursuit of silverware this season and beyond.
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A left-footed centre-back who offers a great deal of tactical flexibility. Please do not think twice Liverpool. €70m it is.
