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Arsenal have officially confirmed the arrival of defender Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen on a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy.

The Premier League side announced that Hincapie will spend the 2024–25 season at the Emirates Stadium on loan, with Leverkusen revealing that Arsenal are required to make the transfer permanent next summer. According to The Athletic, the purchase clause is valued at £45 million (€52 million/$61 million).

The Ecuadorian international becomes Arsenal’s eighth signing of what has been a particularly active summer transfer window for Mikel Arteta’s team. The Gunners have also added Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard, and Kepa Arrizabalaga to strengthen their squad for the 2025–26 campaign.

Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, manager Mikel Arteta expressed his delight over the defender’s arrival, saying, “We are very happy to welcome Piero Hincapie to Arsenal. He brings a strong physical presence and offers flexibility in our defensive setup. His combination of youth, maturity, and leadership will add great value to our squad. Piero’s arrival will help us remain competitive throughout the season. We warmly welcome him and his family to Arsenal.”

Hincapie’s transfer marks yet another high-profile exit from Bayer Leverkusen this summer. The Bundesliga champions have already seen Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Granit Xhaka, and Amine Adli leave the club. In addition, former manager Xabi Alonso departed to take charge of Real Madrid. Leverkusen appointed Erik ten Hag as his replacement but dismissed him earlier on deadline day after just three matches in charge.

Looking ahead, Hincapie could make his Premier League debut when Arsenal host Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium on September 13. Leverkusen, meanwhile, will return to Bundesliga action a day earlier, facing Eintracht Frankfurt on September 12.