Florian Plettenberg – Sky Sports’ Germany Reporter, has highlighted Piero Hincapié as being ‘one to watch’ for the transfer window. The centre back has indicated that he wants regular starts next season and is currently under contract to Bayer Leverkusen until 2027. He has started 63 games in the Bundesliga during his career but was substituted 20 times and suspended for 8 games through red or yellow cards.
According to Plettenberg the player ‘is open for a new challenge as he wants to be a regular starter next season.” The report continues:” There are enquiries and talks with other top clubs. But no agreements yet.”
As Gonzo reported earlier on C and H, Tim Steidten has a shortlist of two candidates – identities so far a secret- to replace Kurt Zouma as a centre back. Hincapié would certainly fit the ‘red bull’ brief at 22 years old: A left footed centre back who joined Leverkusen in 2021 for 6.35 million euro. Speaks Spanish, too – he’s Ecuadorian – and so would fit another of our mini transfer trends as another who shares a first language with Lopetegui.
Already capped 37 times by his country, he made his international debut at 19 so is obviously highly rated.
The down side would appear to be Transfermarkt’s estimated £40 million price tag for a squad player who claims he ‘doesn’t start regularly ‘: No question that price is on the high side compared with the likes of Todibo.
Would be a pretty huge profit for the Bundesliga. Is anybody else out in the market spending big money on young centre backs? I doubt it, outside of the Premier League.
He did sign a contract extension last year until 2027 all of which comes in the mix when calculating player value. Maybe we could add a truckload of thirty-something players to bring the price down a couple of million and reduce our payroll costs at the same time. I am joking.
As a possible alternative to the ‘popular’ candidates such as Arnau Martinez, Fabricio Bruno, Oumar Soulet and Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, Hincapié could form a superb partnership with Max Killian and bring depth to Hammers;’ back line post Zouma.
If the player is up for a move, Tim Steidten’s expertise in the German marketplace could bode well for The Hammers. We will keep an ear to the ground to try and find out more of Tim’s direction of travel. In the meantime, time ticks by towards the start of a season with something of a shortage in the back line. In Tim we trust.
We need a right footed CB after signing Kilman. It’s easy to go online and see who Tim signings were in Germany.
Nice try, no cigar tho.
40 million? Fuc* right off. No way is he worth that.
Chalobah for me at £25m is a no brainer as Prem proven and exactly the type of player we need.
Hincapie plays c/bk and l/bk, versatile.
Price will be a hiccup so neither him nor Trippier (to old and injury prone) at r/bk are good options.
Johnathan Tar from same stable (Hincapie), previously linked to whu and cheaper, is better choice.
Transfer to Bayern is stalling as they need to sell delivery Light.
Chalobah also has versatility of playing c/bk and r/bk.
I remember hincapie in Europa league game. Remember him pointing at Bowen to be picked up by someone at London stadium before deciding to do it himself and rushing out of defence to mark him himself. He was too late to the party though as bowen picked out Antonio in the box and Antonio put us 1 nil up
Chalobah is my preferred choice as he’s got premier league experience and is £25m