Newcastle United are believed to be one of the clubs who are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen starlet Piero Hincapie this summer, albeit with a sizeable offer likely required to be able to prise the 21-year-old from Germany.
What’s the latest on Hincapie to Newcastle?
According to Football Insider, the Magpies – along with top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur – have been named as just two of the Premier League clubs who are keeping tabs on the versatile centre-back at present, with the Ecuador international said to be ‘keen’ to join one of England’s elite clubs.
However, the report does suggest that the Bundesliga outfit are likely to demand in the region of £50m if they are to sanction his sale in the near future, having only recently extended the youngster’s contract until 2027.
This follows previous claims from the same publication which revealed that the St James’ Park outfit and top-flight strugglers Everton had been holding talks in London last month with the player’s representatives.
Has Hincapie been compared to Cristian Romero?
Despite his relative youth, Hincapie has already solidified his status as a leading figure for both club and country, with the 24-cap titan having racked up 56 appearances for Leverkusen to date, scoring three times and providing one assist.
Comfortable playing at both left-back and centre-back, the highly-coveted rock would no doubt offer real flexibility for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, having been lauded as “complete” and “dominant” in the latter role by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
The “tenacious” ace – as lauded by Kulig – appears to have the quality to be able to thrive in English football if he is to make the move ahead of next season, with that showcased by his stylistic and statistical similarity to Spurs star Cristian Romero, as per FBref.
That comparison – which has also been made by Hincapie’s brother – is evidenced by the duo’s ball-winning prowess, with the Tottenham ace averaging 2.85 tackles per game over the past year, while his younger counterpart has averaged 2.08 tackles per match in that time.
Equally, the pair are also clearly adept at playing the ball out from the back. Hincapie – who has been described as “comfortable on the ball” by Kulig – ranks in the top 1% in Europe among those in his position for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons, while Romero ranks in the top 9% and 12% respectively in those two metrics.
To be likened to the latter is no mean feat, such has been the Argentine’s impact in north London to date, with the World Cup-winning “animal” – as lauded by former Spurs team-mate Pierluigi Gollini – having been described by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves as a player who has “got everything”.
Having the opportunity to land their own version of the 24-year-old with the signing of Hincapie must surely be an attractive prospect for Howe and co, even if the potential price tag is rather sizeable.