Arsenal fans were promised an unprecedented summer. They have got an unprecedented summer.
The Gunners came into this window needing to strengthen big time. Last season was full of ifs, buts and maybes. What if they had a centre-forward? Enter Viktor Gyokeres. What if they had a backup for Bukayo Saka? Enter Noni Madueke.
What if they had a maverick playmaker? Enter Eberechi Eze. Andrea Berta has had a remarkable first transfer window at the Emirates Stadium and as the north Londoners gear up to face Liverpool, another new signing could be on the horizon.
After the confirmation of Eze’s move eight days ago, it looked as though Arsenal were done. Berta had other ideas.
VIP Tickets
Secure your matchday experience at Arsenal with Seat Unique.
Premium Arsenal Experiences Arsenal's late arrival before the deadline
Arsenal’s spending this summer is heading in the direction of £300m. Pundits will say that they now have no excuses when it comes to winning a major trophy. They may well be right.
Berta wasn’t just required to add first-team-ready players to the squad this summer, but it was a crop of players that simply needed adding to.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Injuries ripped through Mikel Arteta’s side last term like a knife through butter and together, they have now made the squad bulletproof for 2025/26. Saka will miss the trip to Anfield but it says a lot that the Arsenal fanbase are still confident. Fear not, Madueke and Eze are here now.
At the back, the depth has only got stronger and that’s where Arsenal are set to add next. Jakub Kiwior is on his way to complete a permanent move to Porto.
His replacement is well documented now. It’s Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen.
On Friday evening, the news broke that Arsenal had now agreed an initial season-long loan for the player with a move then set to become permanent next summer for a fee of around £45m.
So, what’s the latest? Well, Hincapie was on the bench for Leverkusen on Saturday but didn’t play a single minute. He then waved farewell to the supporters at full-time.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the defender will now sign for the club “in the next 24 hours”, with club insider Hand of Arsenal, reporting that Hincapie will travel to London on Sunday and undergo a medical. Exciting times indeed.
Why Hincapie is shades of Granit Xhaka
How nice is it to see Granit Xhaka back in English football? After the Swiss left Arsenal behind in 2023, incidentally heading to Leverkusen, it looked as though his days in the Premier League were over.
Xhaka enjoyed a fine time of it in Germany, winning the Bundesliga and very nearly winning the Europa League too, only downed by a remarkable hat-trick by Ademola Lookman in the final.
32
2
2
38
1
7
29
4
2
31
1
2
31
1
2
27
1
2
37
7
7
It was a brilliant stint, but he’s back in England for one last go at it, and he’s having fun at Sunderland who have six points from their first three games.
But, it was at Arsenal where he made himself a household name, sometimes for the wrong reasons. Who can forget that moment against Crystal Palace? It should have been a point of no return for Xhaka. He tossed the armband to the floor and his career in north London looked done.
But, the midfielder’s warrior spirit shone through. Xhaka is no mug and he bounced back in incredible fashion. He may not have been wearing the armband anymore but his leadership skills were in evidence during every game. The Switzerland international was the beating heart of the team, he was the voice on the pitch.
That campaign in 2022/23, where he scored nine and assisted seven, will not be forgotten in a hurry.
So, what’s the relevance here? How is a midfielder similar to Hincapie, a defender by trade? Well, there are technical differences, of course, but the 23-year-old has a similar mentality.
Last winter, the player’s agent stated that Hincapie, like Xhaka, is “a warrior, he’s a leader”.
He continued: “Hincapie is, for me, one of the best left central defenders in the world. One of the best left-backs and the best hybrid players for sure.”
Xhaka may not be South American like Hincapie is, but the 32-year-old certainly has the same never-say-die attitude that we associate with a lot of players from that part of the world.
Arsenal’s Ecuadorian recruit undoubtedly has that about him. He’s strong in the duel like Xhaka too. When playing at left-back, only 17% of positionally similar players in the Bundesliga won more tackles than he did throughout 2024/25.
Albeit from a different position on the pitch, he’s a fantastic progressive player. In 2023/24, no player made more progressive passes in the entirety of the German top-flight than Xhaka.
This is an area Hincapie also thrives in. Compared to centre-backs last season, he ranked inside the top 18% and versus left-backs, he ranked among the best 15%.
There’s plenty to like about Berta’s latest target here. He’s not just a flying full-back, he’s a colossal centre-half, and he possesses the Xhaka-like trait of battling until the last minute for every ball. As his agent outlines. he’s a true warrior.
Readers like you help support FootballFanCast. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.
Eze 2.0: Arsenal now chasing Spurs target who's "one of the best in the PL"
The talented international would help make Arsenal even stronger this season.
2 ByJack Salveson Holmes