North London battle: Arsenal, Tottenham go head-to-head for Bayer Leverkusen defender

Arsenal and Tottenham have reportedly shown strong interest in signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapié this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing the 23-year-old Ecuadorian defender on loan with an obligation to buy for about €60 million.

The reigning Europa League champions are reportedly discussing personal terms with Piero Hincapié as they look to secure his signature after Eberechi Eze picked Arsenal despite leading the race to sign the Crystal Palace forward.

Arsenal have also made contact with Bayer Leverkusen for the defender as Mikel Arteta looks to further strengthen his defence this season.

However, the Gunners are relying on the potential sale of Polish defender Jakub Kiwior to FC Porto and/or the possible exit of Oleksandr Zinchenko to finance the move.

Piero Hincapié has reportedly told Bayer Leverkusen of his desire to leave the club this season as he weighs his options between the two North London clubs.

Hincapié joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2021 from Talleres and was part of the team that won the club’s first-ever Bundesliga title under former manager Xabi Alonso.

Piero Hincapié is a left-footed central defender but can also play as a left-back or wing-back. He was instrumental to Bayer Leverkusen’s domestic double in the 2023/2024 season as well as the DFB Super Cup.