Ecuadorian media rave about new Arsenal signing Piero Hincapie after ‘masterclass’ against Argentina

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Arsenal secured another signing on transfer deadline day as Mikel Arteta raided Bayer Leverkusen for the signing of Piero Hincapie.

Arsenal wanted to bring in one more left-sided defender before the transfer window slammed shut.

Jakub Kiwior moved to Porto before the transfer deadline, and Oleksandr Zinchenko joined Nottingham Forest on loan.

That paved the way for a new signing, and Arsenal finalised a deal to sign Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen.

Hincapie arrives on loan, but a permanent deal next summer looks inevitable for the Ecuadorian.

• READ MORE: Piero Hincapie sends clear message to Mikel Arteta about his Arsenal starting ambitions

Ecuadorian media on Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie

Hincapie is waiting for his Arsenal debut, and that could come against Nottingham Forest this weekend.

The defender has been in action over the international break, turning out for Ecuador against Paraguay and Argentina.

Ecuador beat Argentina 1-0 in the early hours of Wednesday morning, securing second place in CONMEBOL’s World Cup qualifiers.

Hincapie has played a key role in Ecuador’s remarkable defensive record of conceding just five goals in 18 games.

The new Arsenal man lined up as a left-back against Argentina and has earned praise for his display in a memorable Ecuador victory.

Primicias rated Hincapie at 9 out of 10, raving about his ‘masterclass in how to be a left-back’.

They praised Hincapie for offering solid defensive play behind Nilson Angulo on Ecuador’s left flank, adding that he was ‘aggressive’ against Argentina.

‘A masterclass in how to be a left-back. Thanks to his work, Nilson Angulo looked much better than he did in Asunción. Aggressive and with peripheral vision, he was able to create space to break out in his own half,’ they wrote.

ESPN added that Hincapie was ‘important’ defensively, shackling Giuliano Simeone and then Real Madrid wonderkid Franco Mastantuono.

‘He played as a left-back and looked to provide support for Nilson Angulo. He was important in defence and in controlling Simeone and later Mastantuono,’ they wrote.

Piero Hincapie may not play in his preferred position at Arsenal

Hincapie arrives at Arsenal to provide depth at both left-back and centre-back, having played in those two roles at Bayer Leverkusen.

Hincapie admitted that he wants to play as a centre-back, but he has just provided a ‘masterclass’ at left-back.

Mikel Arteta will surely have paid close attention to Hincapie’s display and may believe that he can replicate that performance for Arsenal.

Add in that Gabriel Magalhaes is one of the Premier League’s very best left-footed defenders, and Hincapie may struggle to feature in that role.

Hincapie will still face competition from Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, but he will certainly stake a claim for action in that position.