Liverpool have been linked with a move for exciting Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie, and now a key update has emerged regarding their pursuit of him.
The Ecuadorian has already become an important player for both club and country, despite still only being 21, with his all-round quality standing out.
Hincapie is capable of flourishing as both a central defender and a left-back, which is why Liverpool have seemingly shown such an interest in signing him in recent times.
It could be that he has been viewed as both immediate competition for Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, as well as a replacement for them moving forward, with the pair now 32 and 29 years of age respectively.
While Liverpool’s interest in Hincapie has looked strong, a new update from Football Insider now suggests that he is unlikely to make a move to Anfield during the January transfer window.
The report does state that the Reds “are among a number of clubs in discussions over a January move”, but they are “not likely to splash out on a move” for him when the next window opens at the start of 2024.
Our thoughts on Liverpool’s move for Hincapie looking unlikely…
Hincapie does look like he would be a tailor-made option to come in and thrive for Liverpool, considering his style of play and the fact that a left-sided centre-back should be near the top of their list of transfer priorities.
For that reason, it is disappointing to hear that the Ecuador ace likely won’t be moving to Anfield in January, and the hope is that if that isn’t the case, a summer move could come to fruition instead.
Should Hincapie join someone else before then, Liverpool must be looking at other options who could join midway through the campaign, giving Klopp more depth in the process.
The likes of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez may be fit at the moment, but an injury never seems to be too far away for either, so more defensive options are needed in the near future.
Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio could be a great alternative to Hincapie, but the fact that he only recently signed a new deal with the Portuguese giants could make that tricky.