Manchester United may have to begin scouting potential alternatives to Bayern Munich’s Matthijs De Ligt as talks continue to draw a stalemate.
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are crying out for another centre-back addition following the injury sustained to Leny Yoro.
United only completed the signing of Yoro last month but the Frenchman suffered a metatarsal problem against Arsenal, which is now likely to keep the teenager out of action for three months.
Raphael Varane has departed United on a free and has joined Italian side Como after a mixed three seasons at Old Trafford.
Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof’s futures look uncertain hence why a new centre-back looks to be one of the priorities for the Red Devils, with just over three weeks before the window slams shut.
Piero Hincapie could be perfect Matthijs De Ligt alternative
De Ligt is keen on joining United but Bayern Munich are seemingly standing firm in their valuation of the former Ajax defender which means a deal is becoming more and more difficult, so alternatives may be sought.
One option who the Red Devils have to consider for the role is Bayer Leverkusen’s versatile defender Piero Hincapie, who had an outstanding season in the Bundesliga.
Last season for Leverkusen, Hincapie featured in 26 Bundesliga games as Xabi Alonso’s side went the entire campaign unbeaten in Germany’s top division.
The Ecuadorian defender also featured in 12 Europa League games as they reached the final before being taken apart by Atalanta, or Ademola Lookman in particular.
Sky Germany journalist, Florian Plettenberg, put a post on X about the future of the 22-year-old and it seems a move is certainly possible.
Hincapie could leave Leverkusen before the end of the month, according to Plettenberg, but has a contract running until 2027, so he certainly won’t be cheap.
One issue is that Hincapie would cost United, or any other interested side, £50 million, which is a similar fee to what Bayern are demanding for De Ligt.
Why Hincapie would be perfect for United
The Ecuadorian may well cost the same price as De Ligt but in Hincapie, United would essentially get two positions in one.
Whilst the 22-year-old is an accomplished centre-back, he is also more than capable of playing as a left-back with Luke Shaw remaining one of United’s most injured players.
Hincapie’s abilities on the ball are incredible as the Ecuadorian ranks in the top ten across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, progressive carries and touches, as well as the top 15 for progressive passes according to FBREF, he is certainly a modern defender.
In terms of who Hincapie models his game on, in a recent interview with Scouted Football, the Ecuadorian explained who.
“On Fridays, when we travelled by bus for seven or eight hours to play for Independiente del Valle, I watched a lot of videos of Puyol and Sergio Ramos,” he remembers.
“I watched the videos so I wouldn’t get bored on the bus and that’s when I realised that I really liked Puyol. He had a special way of playing, perhaps less technical than Ramos, but he was a leader and captain. One of the best centre-backs I’ve ever seen.”
As a left-sided defender, he could form a nice partnership with Yoro, once he returns, or even play at left-back if Shaw struggles for fitness. A deal makes a lot of sense for United.
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