Arsenal get Piero Hincapie transfer breakthrough as Premier League rivals consider late £34m bid

Arsenal have less than 48 hours to wrap up any remaining business in the transfer window. The Gunners have spent about £250m on new players this summer, while only making about £7m in sales, yet they've shown no sign of slowing down ahead of Monday's deadline.

Once Andrea Berta wraps up a deal for Piero Hincapie, the sporting director will be expected to hold a fire-sale. Of course, another new face or two wouldn't go amiss, but there's still a few players at the Emirates Stadium looking for a new club.

Albert Sambi Lokinga and Reiss Nelson continue to be heavily linked with moves away, while Fabio Vieira seeks assurances over his future. Jakub Kiwior looks set to make-way for the Bayer Leverkusen defender, and Oleksandr Zinchenko has reportedly emerged as a potential target for Marseille.

There's a lot of work to be done in north London, but the floodgates will inevitably open in the final hours. So, with that being said, football.london has rounded up the latest Arsenal transfer news;

Arsenal wrap up Hincapie deal

football.london understands that Arsenal have agreed a deal to snap-up Piero Hincapie on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. The Gunners have the option to sign the 23-year-old defender for £45m at the end of the season.

Hincapie must now undergo a medical before the the relevant documents are exchanged and a contract can be signed. The Ecuador international, who was an unused substitute in Leverkusen's 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen on Saturday afternoon, could make his debut for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest after the international break.

football.london says: "There's no doubt that Piero Hincapie is a good signing, but I don't think the deal is necessary - unless, of course, Mikel Arteta knows something that we don't.

"As a left-footed centre-half at just six foot tall, I doubt the Arsenal manager plans to use him as an understudy to Gabriel Magalhaes, who's undroppable. Hincapie will probably play left-back, but he faces tough competition from Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori."

West Ham eye forgotten Arsenal midfielder

According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, West Ham have joined Stuttgart in the race to sign Fabio Vieira. The report claims that the Bundesliga outfit 'admire' the forgotten Arsenal midfielder - but they believe he's 'too expensive'.

It's said that a Champions League club are also keen on Vieira, who joined the Gunners from Porto for about £34m in June 2022. The Portuguese has recently entered the final two years of his contract at the Emirates Stadium.

football.london says: "This is a terrible deal for West Ham. The Hammers look like they're now about to lose Lucas Paqueta, and Fabio Vieira is far from a worthy replacement. That said, only David Sullivan would be prepared to sell his best player so late into the summer transfer window and bring in such a disappointing replacement..."

Salah doubles down on Arsenal prediction

Mohamed Salah has doubled down on his title prediction, claiming that Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League. The Liverpool forward said: "That team, I have said it a few times, today and also at the PFA Awards, I said they are the favourites because they have a team that has played [together] for five, six years.

"So, they understand each other's game. And, they also have a manager with the team for five, six years. When the team's stuck together for that long, they know each other's game, so it becomes easier for them.

"But other teams like us and [Manchester] City, are changing a lot of players, which is sometimes tricky. But again, teams with Pep Guardiola, they are always the favourites. But of course, my opinion is this year Arsenal are number one."

football.london says: "I agree. Arsenal have looked strong at the back, while Liverpool and Manchester City - despite their great firepower - have shown signs of weakness. I think the reigning Premier League champions could take the Gunners down to the wire.

"If Arne Slot wants to retain the title, his side need to see out games better. I know it's a small sample size, but they've been a bit shaky when leading by a slim margin. Later winners aren't sustainable."

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