Chelsea are interested in securing the services of highly-rated Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.
Piero Hincapie, 23, has gone from strength to strength since joining Bayer Leverkusen from CA Talleres in 2021. The Ecuador international has racked up 146 appearances for the German champions, scoring six goals and supplying four assists. He has proven to be a rock at the back for Bayer again, making 27 appearances this season thus far.
The 23-year-old’s impressive displays in the Bundesliga as well as in Europe have caught the attention of Chelsea. While Hincapie recently penned a contract extension until 2029, he could still end up getting sold. Bayer reportedly value their star defender at around €70 million amid interest from several top European clubs including Chelsea.
Chelsea crying out for defensive reinforcements
When the transfer window comes around Chelsea are always busy, and this January it appears they are eyeing defensive reinforcements.
The Blues recently trigged a clause and recalled Trevoh Chalobah from Crystal Palace owing to their issues at the back. However, Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are currently sidelined with injuries, while Axel Disasi has been linked with an exit. A free transfer from rivals Fulham last summer, Tosin Adarabioyo has not hit the heights expected of him.
Thus, it is not surprising that Enzo Maresca is on the hunt for a quality central defender. Piero Hincapie, in that regard, could just be perfect for Maresca’s Chelsea.
The Ecuadorian was a key part of the Bayer side that won the Bundesliga title last season. He had 43 appearances in total during the 2023/24 campaign, operating in Xabi Alonso’s preferred back three system. The 23-year-old is not only strong and aerially dominant but also possesses fantastic ball-playing and game-reading skills. A mixture of physicality and technical attributes make him a brilliant fit to operate in Maresca’s system.
The South American talent certainly looks like he could be a good option for Chelsea after proving himself in the Bundesliga. He will bring winning mentality and plenty of experience to the Pensioners’ squad, who aspire to get back into the Champions League after missing out on last two years.
All in all, Hincapie is a big talent, and if Chelsea don’t splash the cash now, it is certainly only a matter of time before he ends up at one of Europe’s big clubs.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.