Arsenal have exercised the purchase option in Piero Hincapié’s loan contract, signing the versatile defender on a five-year contract from Bayer Leverkusen. The 24-year-old became a prominent fixture in Arsenal’s Premier League title-winning side, having started the season acting as an understudy for Riccardo Calafiori at left back. The Ecuadorian, currently representing his country at the 2026 World Cup, eventually became first choice, with Mikel Arteta entrusting him to see the Gunners through to a first league crown in 22 years.Sky Sports News report the fee to make Hincapié’s move to north London permanent to be in the region of $45.5 million (£34.5 million) and he will represent the first bit of business completed by Arsenal this summer when the deal is formally ratified on July 1.Why Arsenal Have Signed Hincapié PermanentlyPiero Hincapié did enough to imoress Mikel Arteta. | Izzy Poles/AMA/Getty ImagesIt didn’t take long Hincapié to make an impression on Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. A “warrior” is how the Spaniard described him after just his second appearances, with his ability to play as a central defender and as an inverted full back—pushing into central midfield—key to club luring him over from Germany.“He’s quality on the ball—he's a player who is super keen,” Arteta said in October. He can play inside, he can play in wide positions, he's done it... [when he’s] physically he's at his best, he's going to raise the level.”News of Hincapie staying put could determine the long-term future of Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly. A central midfielder coming up through the youth ranks, he was exposed to first-team action in a very similar way to Bukayo Saka—filling in at left back when the Gunners had a hole that needed to be plugged.Lewis-Skelly performed so well that he made the position his own, even getting called up to the England squad as an 18-year-old, but he eventually lost his place as Calafiori regained full fitness and then had to compete with Hincapié.A return to central midfield followed, including a start in the Champions League final, and that could be Lewis-Skelly’s role moving forward, assuming exit talk that had come to the surface in January proves to be just that ... talk.Arsenal Enter Talks With Leicester Over MongaJeremy Monga (left) is of real interest to Arsenal. | Mike Egerton/PA Images/Michael Regan/UEFA/Getty ImagesElsewhere, Arsenal are in direct talks with Leicester City over the signing of emerging winger Jeremy Monga, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports.Monga is the third-youngest player in Premier League history, behing Arsenal duo Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri, and the 16-year-old has been extensively linked with a number of big teams—including Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea.He was a regular fixture from Leicester’s bench last season, coming on 30 times across 37 total appearances, but with the Foxes now down in League One after a disastrous relegation, he’s expected to move on to pastures new.READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow