Tottenham Hotspur "maintain contacts" for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie as Ange Postecoglou scours the market for new defenders, according to reports.
Who are Spurs signing this summer?
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Lilywhites officials have been busy so far this summer, having already secured deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon on a free transfer.
Vicario has put pen to paper on a move from Empoli, a move that has cost the club around £17.2 million, while Maddison's transfer from Leicester City set Tottenham back just £45 million. Solomon, who is apparently set to sign his Spurs contracts today after completing a medical, will join on a Bosman deal from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Postecoglou, speaking after his side secured both Vicario and Maddison, claimed the duo have exactly what it takes in terms of charisma to become successful at Spurs.
“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers," said the Tottenham boss.
"It’s what they bring as people as well because we are going to play football that requires a certain type of personality and character.
“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room."
After bolstering key areas of the squad with the aforementioned additions, the goal now for Postecoglou is to strengthen his central defensive ranks with astute signings. Some media sources claim Spurs could even make multiple moves to reinforce that position of the team.
Tottenham leaked a woeful 63 league goals last season, the worst record of any top flight side above 15th in the table, something which they will be very keen to address this summer.
Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven is a player of serious interest to the north Londoners and some reliable reports indicate they're edging closer to an agreement.
However, in case of any late twists or the event a deal goes south, Spurs and Levy do have alternative options they "maintain contacts" for.
As per TUTTOmercatoWEB and journalist Raimondo De Magistris, one of those defenders is Leverkusen's young centre-half Hincapie. The Ecuador international, who played at last year's 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is apparently on Tottenham's radar alongside Max Kilman of Wolves.
Spurs apparently remain in dialogue with Leverkusen over Hincapie, a player who could cost between £21m-£26 million – an affordable price if Levy wishes to sign more than one centre-back for Postecoglou.
How good is Piero Hincapie?
Described as "tenacious" and "comfortable" in possession by the Bundesliga official website, former Leverkusen head coach Gerardo Seoane has also praised Hincapie in the past.
The South American, who played 30 German top flight games last season and ranked among Leverkusen's best players, has been heralded for his "really impressive" career to date.
"We knew he had the potential," said Seoane.
"But the way he's rising to the challenge and coping with the intensity levels is really impressive.
"We're pleasantly surprised with how he's performing in the Bundesliga and Europe."