Having come just two matches away from winning a quadruple during the 2021/22 season, Liverpool finishing outside the top four in the last term was certainly unprecedented.
While Jurgen Klopp will have been unhappy with his side’s display throughout the campaign, last season was important for the club to begin their rebuild from the team that won the Premier League and the Champions League twelve months apart a few years back.
The manager and his recruitment staff made a lot of new additions to the playing staff, selling some high-profile, ageing stars and this rebuild could continue ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool transfer news – Piero Hincapie
According to a report from South American journalist Christian Martin, the Reds are one of several European clubs who will battle it out for Bayer Leverkusen central defender Piero Hincapie. The reporter is also claiming that Newcastle United, AS Roma and AC Milan are all keen to secure the Ecuador international’s signature in the near future.
Hincapie signed for Leverkusen from Talleres in Argentina for a reported £7m and had a £39m release clause in his deal with the German outfit. However, having signed a new four-year deal with the Bundesliga’s current league leaders back in February, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that no buyout clause had been included in his updated contract.
Furthermore, 90min journalist Graeme Bailey revealed last Friday that Hincapie was being scouted by Liverpool’s recruitment team, with his value being placed at £34m, as per CIES Football Observatory.
Piero Hincapie’s stats this season
In his first two seasons with Leverkusen, Hincapie was one of the first names on the teamsheet and made 76 appearances for the German giants in all competitions. However, the Ecuadorian has found himself as a bit-part player this term under head coach Xabi Alonso, having made merely two starts in the Bundesliga.
The 21-year-old started the season with a fractured foot which certainly hasn’t helped his game-time. As a result of his absence, Alonso was forced to utilise a back three of Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah and Odilon Koussouno. Incidentally, this trio have been in superb form, leaving Hincapie as a peripheral figure this term.
His lack of minutes this season could be the catalyst for a move away from Leverkusen and Liverpool could be the perfect option for him, particularly with both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip being on the wrong side of 30 now and with the latter’s contract expiring at the end of the campaign, having just picked up yet another nasty knee injury.
Given Van Dijk has played predominantly as a left centre-back throughout his career at Anfield, Hincapie could be the Dutchman’s long-term replacement, particularly as he is left-footed.
However, in the short term, the defender could take Matip’s place in the squad should the veteran leave this summer. In fact, Hincapie is outperforming Matip in several key defensive metrics this term.
Assists
0.13
0
Expected Assists
0.11
0.03
Progressive Passes
5.3
4.63
Progressive Carries
1.97
1.02
Key Passes
0.61
0.37
Passes To Final 1/3
3.79
3.06
Tackles
0.91
1.11
Tackles Won
0.51
0.51
Interceptions
1.54
1.19
Stats via FBref
Furthermore, Hincapie has played at left-back 35 times throughout his infant career, meaning the youngster could even rotate with Andy Robertson, allowing Klopp to switch to a back three in possession, as he likes to do, with Trent Alexander-Arnold inverting into midfield on the opposite side.
Hincapie has a very bright future in the game, with football scout Jacek Kulig even claiming that the young centre-back is a “future legend of Ecuadorian football”.
With Van Dijk and Matip nearing the end of their careers at Anfield, Hincapie could be Ibrahima Konate’s ideal partner in the very near future.