Piero Hincapie drops Arsenal team news hint as Mikel Arteta explains Viktor Gyokeres headache

Piero Hincapie has dropped a team news hint ahead of Arsenal's clash against Athletic Club. The 23-year-old defender will be hoping to make his debut for the Gunners when they face Ernesto Valverde's side at the San Mames Stadium on Tuesday night.

Hincapie, who joined Arsenal on loan from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day, was an unused substitute in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the weekend. With Ben White out and William Saliba a doubt, Mikel Arteta could be tempted to give the Ecuador international a chance to impress.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori are also yet to have a rest this season, having both started each of the north Londoners' first four games of the Premier League season. Nevertheless, Hincapie has posted a pre-match graphic preview of the Champions League fixture to his Instagram story.

Historically, this suggests that he'll be involved in some capacity. Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino, and Jurrien Timber have also done the same, hinting that they too could start against the Spanish outfit.

Speaking to reporters on Monday ahead of the match, Arteta suggested that he could be forced to rotate his starting lineup. The Arsenal boss said: "It will depend on the availability of the squad and the form of the players.

"Unfortunately, we have a few players already out, so that is already limited in certain positions. But hopefully we’ve come to the point where the competition and the level of performance of the players is so high that we are able to do that very efficiently to win more football matches. That’s our objective."

When asked if Viktor Gyokeres could be rested, Arteta pointed towards Merino and Trossard as potential alternatives. The Spaniard said: "Well, let’s see it. Against Forest at the end, Mikel played as a nine.

"We have Leo who can play there, we have other options and other formations that we can adjust to that. At the moment, Victor is doing really well, so I’m really happy with that."

On whether the Arsenal squad is ready to win the Champions League, Arteta said: "It’s not that simple. You are so willing to do it, and you want to be better.

"I sense a very clear intention that they want to be better every single day and that’s the start and the end, and there is nothing else to control.

"Create the energy and belief amongst the players, the understanding and the feeling that we can compete against any opposition and certainly they have that."

A few players have posted pre-match previews of the Champions League opener to their Instagram stories, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will definitely start or, at the very least, play.

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