Suggestions that Arsenal could look to include Piero Hincapie in a swap deal with Barcelona have been shot down, as the Gunners want to keep the left-back.
Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde looks increasingly likely to leave the club in the January transfer window, whether that’s on loan or a permanent transfer, and there have been rumours in recent days of a potential swap deal with Arsenal for Piero Hincapie.
But Fabrizio Romano has played down these claims, on the basis that he doesn’t believe the Gunners have any interest in letting Hincapie leave in the winter window.
“When it’s about Piero Hincapie and the swap deal between Arsenal and Barcelona, I don’t see this happening for one reason, Arsenal have no intention to sell Hincapie,” Romano said.
“Arsenal have no intention to change anything in their back four for the January transfer window. They are super happy with the players they have.
“I think the conversation should be on one of the best defences in the recent history of the game because Arsenal are really incredible with their way of defending, and so Piero Hincapie can play as a centre-back, as a left-back.
“He’s a very important player for Mikel Arteta and so I don’t see this one happening.”
It’s true that Hincapie has found himself on the sidelines a bit more often this season, with Riccardo Calafiori managing to put together a run of games.
Hincapie’s few starts have come in the Champions League and the League Cup, with none so far in the Premier League.
An untimely ankle injury didn’t help matters, with Hincapie missing out on potential involvements against Lille, Nottingham Forest, and Bayern Munich as a result of that injury setback.
But the Ecuador international remains an important squad player, making eight appearances in all competitions. As the season goes on, the 24-year-old is sure to get further opportunities.
One of the reasons Arsenal are doing so well at the moment is the club’s strength in depth at the back, and they won’t want to throw that away just because a player has had a couple of months out of the first-choice team.
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