The latest transfer news focuses on Arsenal adding another defender, while Manchester City are sorting out their goalkeeper situation.
With a week to go until the summer transfer window closes, it is getting a bit chaotic out there…
MORE — Full list of ins and outs in the Premier League
Below is the latest news and reports on Piero Hincapie to Arsenal and Gianluigi Donnarumma to Manchester City.
According to a report from David Ornstein, Arsenal have made a move to sign Ecuador and Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie and he prefers a move to the Gunners. That comes hot on the heels of Fabrizio Romano reporting that Tottenham Hotspur offered a loan deal for Hincapie with an obligation to buy for $70 million next summer. After Arsenal beat Spurs to the signing of Eberechi Eze, it really feels quite unfair at this point as the Gunners keep gazumping their north London rivals.
Hincapie, 23, is a brilliant defender and the Ecuador international was a key part of Leverkusen’s 2023-24 title win and is comfortable on the ball, reads the game well and is extremely physical. With Jakub Kiwior seemingly on his way out of Arsenal as the Polish center back is linked with a move to Porto, it seems like Hincapie is his direct replacement. Per the report from Ornstein, it appears that Arsenal will try to pay a little less than the $70 million release clause in his contract. With the situation regarding William Saliba’s contract (it runs out in the summer of 2027) a concern for Arsenal, bringing in a very talented center back to push him and Gabriel all the way is smart business from Arsenal and protects them in case Saliba stalls on a new deal, plus adds great depth.
We will surely, and finally, get some sort of resolution on Manchester City’s goalkeeper situation this week, as Ederson’s future remains uncertain. The Brazilian goalkeeper has yet to feature for City this season as he’s been linked with a move to Galatasaray. Young goalkeeper James Trafford has started in City’s first two league games but was shaky in their 2-0 home defeat to Spurs on Saturday and gave away the second goal with a horrible error.
That has led to plenty of criticism of Trafford and calls for Ederson to come back in, or City to sign a new, more experienced goalkeeper. A report from Fabrizio Romano states that Gianluigi Donnarumma has already agreed personal terms with Manchester City and he’s training on his own away from the PSG squad as he waits for City to sort out what is going on with Ederson. The report says the transfer fee for Donnarumma would be below $58 million.
Would Donnarumma work at City? The reason he’s been told he can leave PSG is because Luis Enrique wants a goalkeeper who is better with the ball at their feet, and that is exactly what Pep Guardiola wants from his goalkeeper too. This doesn’t feel like the best solution for City or Donnarumma, but perhaps he is the best goalkeeper available in the final week of the window and Guardiola believes he can develop the Italian international into a sweeper ‘keeper?
