He’s played just one minute this season but Mikel Arteta says ‘special’ Arsenal star is too good

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Mikel Arteta is delighted with the progress of one of his Arsenal players despite his lack of game time.

Returning to Premier League duties top of the table, the title challengers will look to pick up another three points against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday night.

Arteta’s new-look squad have been firing on all cylinders this season, and their strength in depth has led pundits to tip Arsenal to finally win their first top-flight crown since 2004.

They still have absentees to return to the fold, too, with one of them catching the manager’s eye.

Mikel Arteta praises Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie

Piero Hincapie was Arsenal’s final signing of the summer transfer window, arriving on loan with an obligation to buy worth £45million, provided certain conditions are met.

But he has played just one minute for the club after suffering a groin injury, with his sole cameo coming in stoppage time in the 2-0 Champions League victory against Athletic Bilbao.

Andrea Berta believes Hincapie could be ‘special’, and he may make the squad for the trip to Fulham after being spotted in training. Speaking ahead of the game, Mikel Arteta heaped praise on the centre-back.

“He’s that player who is going to help us a lot,” said Arteta. “He’s going to bring something different to the team. We need to get him going, get him to the speed that is necessary to compete at this level and gradually get him to where we want.

“What you’re going to see is his aggression, his determination. He’s a player who goes full gas to every single action, especially in defending.

“With the ball, whether he plays a left centre-back or a full-back, a player who is very clean on the ball. Again, someone who really wants to penetrate, whether it’s with the ball, his positioning, and it will bring a different character and emotion to the team.”

Piero Hincapie is good enough to start for Arsenal

Gabriel Martinelli praised Hincapie shortly after his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, and supporters will be eagerly awaiting the chance to properly see him in action once he’s back from injury.

Hincapie believes he’s good enough to start for Arsenal, and his performances in the Bundesliga confirm that is very much the case.

He faces stiff competition at centre-back, of course, especially with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes arguably forming one of the finest partnerships in modern history.

But with the club fighting across four different fronts this season, Hincapie will get his fair share of matches, and he could also be a vital option at left-back.

Either way, he is too good to be warming the bench.