Struggling Arsenal defender top Barcelona’s defensive target list ahead of January transfer window

Struggling Arsenal defender top Barcelona’s defensive target list ahead of January transfer window It is no secret that Barcelona are in the market for a new defender after being hit with an apparent injury crisis. The likes of Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde, Xavi Espart and Andreas Christensen have been victims to this crisis, leaving Hansi Flick with minimal options at the back. This has prompted Barcelona to look into the market for potential reinforcements, with the club already being linked with multiple players across Europe, including Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez . Piero Hincapie also on the radar Hincapie has barely played for Arsenal this season. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) As reported by Diario SPORT , another player who has topped Deco’s shopping list ahead of the January transfer window is Piero Hincapie. The former Bayer Leverkusen is not having the best of seasons at Arsenal, falling behind in the pecking order with just over 250 minutes of competitive action. Hincapie has fallen prey to the extreme competition in Arsenal’s defensive unit, with the Ecuadorian international competing directly with the likes of William Saliba, Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Riccardo Calafiori, among others. The report suggests Barcelona are alerted to Hincapie’s situation and that Deco has already made contact with the player’s representatives, exploring the idea of a potential move in the January transfer window. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta, though, is unlikely to let Hincapie go easily, as the manager rates the former Leverkusen star highly and believes he could useful in a long season. Why Barcelona need Hincapie Deco is testing the waters at Arsenal for Hincapie. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) Piero Hincapie could certainly prove to be a more handy option for Barcelona rather than someone like Lisandro Martinez. For one, the Ecuadorian international is a versatile operate as he can play as both centre-back and a left-back. This could be highly useful for a Barcelona side expected to offload Alejandro Balde in the near future. Hincapie is also left-footed and is decent when it comes to playing the ball out from the back. While he is no Nico Schlotterbeck or Alessandro Bastoni, he could still prove to be an excellent defensive partner for Pau Cubarsi. However, as mentioned earlier, signing Hincapie from Arsenal won’t be easy and the player is expected to cost a fortune as well, with his contract expiring in 2031.