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Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Piero Hincapie on a long-term contract.
What happened?
The Gunners triggered their option to sign the Ecuador international, who is expected to stay put at the Emirates Stadium despite interest from Real Madrid.
Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have monitored the 24-year-old in recent months. However, he is simply not for sale after penning a long-term contract with Arsenal.
Why it matters for Arsenal
Mirror Football understands Real Madrid's chief scout Juni Calafat was at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to watch Hincapie in action at the World Cup against Ivory Coast on June 14. Intriguingly, he had a rough evening against Liverpool wide target Yan Diomande.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| League standing | 1st in Premier League, 85 pts, 26W-7D-5L from 38 games |
| Goals this season | 71 scored, 27 conceded (+44 goal difference) |
| Lead at the top | 7 points clear of Manchester City |
What comes next?
Hincapie joins the Gunners for an initial £34.45m (€40m) plus £5.17m (€6m) in bonuses following an excellent loan spell in N5. Arsenal also agreed a £5.17m (€6m) loan fee with Leverkusen last summer when negotiating the deal. The Bundesliga outfit will have a 10 per cent sell-on clause moving forward.
As of June 26, 2026, Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table with a 7-point lead over Manchester City, having scored 71 goals and conceded 27, with a recent form of WWWWW.
