The Ecuador international has signed a contract up until 2031. Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesJune 25, 2026 Updated 9:47 am EDTArsenal have made Piero Hincapie’s move from Bayer Leverkusen permanent.The defender joins for a fee of approximately €40million (£34.5m; $45.4m) after Arsenal activated their clause in the loan deal.The Ecuador international has signed a contract up until 2031.Hincapie, 24, spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Arsenal from Leverkusen, making 39 appearances as the side won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.
Hincapie's here to stay 🇪🇨
The club is delighted to announce that Piero has signed a permanent deal at The Arsenal 👊
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) June 25, 2026A league champion with Leverkusen in the 2023-24 campaign too, Arsenal were keen to complete the initial loan signing last summer because of the defender’s ability to play both centre-back and left-back.Over the course of the campaign, his appearances were almost split in half across those two positions, with 22 coming at centre-back and 19 at left-back.
His arrival initially caused a selection dilemma at left-back, with academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly struggling for minutes after the newfound competition for places. Both players proved vital towards the end of the season, however, as Lewis-Skelly was deployed as a central midfielder.It remains to be seen whether that dynamic remains prior to the 2026-27 season, but Hincapie signing permanently alongside Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori will give Mikel Arteta continuity should he want it.Hincapie is the only one of that trio who is participating at the World Cup. His Ecuador side face Germany on Thursday, June 25, in their final group game for a chance to qualify for the round of 32.They are currently third in Group E on one point, behind Germany on six points and Ivory Coast on three.
