Some clubs never stop working.
And Barcelona have been one of them, this summer.
Anthony Gordon’s deal has finally been rubber-stamped.
Julian Alvarez remains on the agenda, with Barcelona keeping a close eye on the Argentinian.
And now, Deco has turned his attention towards London.
On a player who’s yet to sign for them permanently.
Barcelona weigh up audacious approach for Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie
According to the Daily Mail, Barcelona are weighing up an approach for Piero Hincapie, willing to “test the waters” in regards to the Arsenal star.
The audacity of it is almost remarkable.
Hincapie joined Arsenal on loan from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, arriving as part of a major defensive overhaul and making 25 Premier League appearances in Arsenal’s title-winning campaign.
The £45 million option to buy has not yet been formally triggered.
But it is widely assumed that Hincapie will be an Arsenal player on a long-term basis.
Barcelona are aware of all of this.
However, they’re pushing anyway.
The logic behind their interest sits within a familiar context.
Hansi Flick needs a left-footed centre-back.
And with Bastoni’s pursuit cooling significantly, that setback has prompted Barcelona to pivot.
The obstacle is as obvious as it is significant.
For Arsenal to sell the player they’re in the process of buying, they would need to receive substantially more than that figure to even consider it.
Selling a title-winning defender, who Arteta has spoken warmly about publicly and who is happy at the club, days after making his loan permanent would be extraordinary.
Hincapie himself is happy at the Emirates Stadium.
But Barcelona have shown this season that they’re not afraid to approach situations that appear closed.
Deco is testing the water.
And Arsenal’s response will tell the story.
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