Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League • England

‘Crisis’ club to hand Antonio Conte classy signing as Tottenham move into pole position for Bundesliga ace

Jude Bellingham and Piero Hincapie

Tottenham are the frontrunners to sign Piero Hincapie and the ‘crisis’ affecting Bayer Leverkusen could give Antonio Conte the centre-back in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Hincapie was on Tottenham’s radar in the 2022 summer window. Despite their interest in snaring him, the 21-year-old ultimately remained in Germany.

Hincapie’s stock rose as he represented Ecuador in the Qatar World Cup late last year. He played a full 90 minutes in all three of their group matches, though they could not reach the next round as the Netherlands and Senegal qualified ahead of them.

Tottenham reignited their interest in Hincapie during the recent January window. However, their advances were pushed back by Leverkusen, who did not want to sell one of their top players mid-season.

According to a report from German outlet Bild though, that stance could change as we head closer to the summer. Bild state Leverkusen are a club in ‘crisis’ after winning just seven of their 19 league games so far this term.

They are languishing in 10th place, despite managing to finish in third spot last season. Due to their poor form, it looks like they will not manage European qualification for next campaign.

Hincapie is one of several players in the Leverkusen squad who wants to continue playing in either the Champions League or Europa League. He wants to challenge himself against the best attackers in Europe as he continues his exciting development.

As such, there is ‘upheaval’ expected at Leverkusen as a few players are expected to push for transfers. And this situation could see Conte gifted Hincapie.

Tottenham could achieve signing at reduced price

Due to the defender’s Leverkusen contract running until summer 2026, the German side would normally be able to hold out for big money when selling him.

But the fact they are unlikely to make next season’s Champions League weakens their negotiating position. It could see Hincapie hand in a transfer request, which would be music to the ears of Spurs.

Bild add that Spurs are currently in pole position to land him, as no other club is expressing such a strong interest right now.

It seems Spurs could be looking to sign Hincapie as a replacement for Ben Davies on the left side of a back three. While Davies has been a loyal servant to the club, Hincapie simply has higher potential.

Hincapie is versatile, too. He can operate as a left-sided centre-half in a back three or back two. He can also play as a standard left-back if required.

The former Independiente man has all the attributes to become a top defender in the Prem. He is quick and strong with the ability to step out of defence and intercept opposition passes.

Hincapie is a bit like current Spurs defender Cristian Romero in terms of his tenacity and the pressure he puts on strikers. Conte likes this aggressive nature, which explains why Spurs have taken an interest in Hincapie.

It sounds like this transfer pursuit could reach completion in the summer, so it is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Meanwhile, Spurs have begun targeting a retired player to improve one problem position, according to a report.