Arsenal complete £35m permanent signing of Piero Hincapie after Premier League title triumph

Arsenal have triggered a purchase option to make Piero Hincapie’s loan from Bayer Leverkusen permanent, with the Ecuador defender costing the Gunners around £34.5m. The 24-year-old joined last summer on a temporary deal and played 39 times in all competitions for Mikel Arteta’s side as they stormed to the Premier League title. Having impressed sufficiently to activate the clause, Hincapie has now signed a contract at the Emirates Stadium until 2031. Bayer Leverkusen confirmed the move, stating: “The conditions for the purchase option were met and defender Hincapie will therefore continue his career with the London club in the Premier League in the coming years.” The announcement comes as Hincapie prepares to face Germany with Ecuador at the World Cup on Thursday evening, a must-win Group E match. His permanent arrival is expected to be the first of several big-money additions in a summer that promises to be another heavy spending window for Arsenal.