Owen Hargreaves claims Arsenal have a ‘great player’ who we’ve not even seen yet
Owen Hargreaves believes Arsenal have an excellent player in their ranks who has barely played yet this season.
Andrea Berta spent more than £250m on eight signings over the summer as the sporting director looked to provide Mikel Arteta with a strong squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.
The Gunners currently sit top of the Premier League, and it’s clear that the size of Arteta’s squad is paying off.
The Spaniard has been rotating extensively between matches as he looks to keep key players fresh, and he has even more tools in his arsenal that he is yet to release.
Owen Hargreaves says Piero Hincapie is a ‘great player’
Arsenal signed Piero Hincapie on loan from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day.
The Ecuadorian arrived in north London with an impressive pedigree, but is yet to play properly for the Gunners as he suffers from a groin injury.
A versatile left-back who can be used as either an aggressive centre-back or a marauding full-back, Hincapie has been part of Leverkusen’s invincible Bundesliga-winning campaign in 2023/24.
He has been limited to just one short appearance for Arteta’s side so far, and it is not yet clear how he will primarily be used, given the Spaniard has Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly at his disposal.
Speaking on TNT Sports’ The Breakdown, former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves described Hincapie as a “great player”.
“By the way, we haven’t seen Hincapie yet either,” said presenter Darren Fletcher.
“He’s a great player,” Hargreaves replied.
“Yes, there’s another one that can fit into this mix. Honestly, this is easily the best collection of center backs in the entire league.”
Piero Hincapie can give minutes to Gabriel Magalhaes for Arsenal
Many assumed the loanee would be used as a left-back at Arsenal.
However, Hincapie believes that center back is his best position, and it is actually possible that he will be used more frequently as cover for Gabriel, as Cristhian Mosquera was for William Saliba.
Mosquera took minutes from Saliba even when the Frenchman was fit, starting at Newcastle and Athletic Club.
This is a clear indication that Arteta is willing to rest his starting centre-backs, even in important matches, and could spark an even higher standard from Gabriel in the long term.
The Brazilian has played more minutes than any other outfield player in Arsenal’s squad this season, despite returning from a serious hamstring injury over the summer.
He needs to be managed carefully, and Hincapie’s presence should provide that.