Arsenal sent firm Piero Hincapie transfer message as private jet cancelled

Bayer Leverkusen are currently refusing to negotiate below Arsenal target Piero Hincapie's £52million (€60m) release clause. The Gunners are keen to strike a deal to bring the Ecuador international to north London on an initial loan that would become permanent next summer.

Hincapie has already reached a verbal agreement on personal terms with Arsenal over a long-term contract and he left the field in tears on Saturday as he appeared to wave goodbye to Leverkusen's supporters following the 2-1 Bundesliga defeat to Hoffenheim.

The Emirates Stadium is his primary destination of choice despite interest from both the Premier League and Europe and he is actively pushing to join Mikel Arteta's Premier League title contenders. However, Leverkusen, who have already lost a host of key players this summer including Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka and Jonathan Tah, feel under no pressure to continue weakening Erik ten Hag's new-look squad, particularly this late in the window.

The German side insist any deal must be on their terms, particularly given the 23-year-old is under contract at the BayArena until 2029.

Meanwhile, Porto are still waiting for the green light from Arsenal to proceed with a deal - an initial loan with an obligation to buy - for Polish defender Jakub Kiwior. The 25-year-old is keen on the move and has already reached an agreement in principle over a five-year contract in Portugal but Arsenal are yet to formally approve his exit and shake hands on a deal with their Primeira Liga counterparts.

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Mirror Football understands Porto made plans to potentially fly the player to Portugal on Tuesday evening for medical tests but the private jet that was lined up to transport Kiwior was cancelled earlier this afternoon as discussions remain advanced but ongoing.

Porto are hoping for a swift resolution but as it stands, Leverkusen have communicated to Arsenal that they must trigger Hincapie's release clause in order to land the Ecuadorian and that is something the Gunners are yet to commit to doing.

Offloading the likes of Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko would provide Arsenal with additional spending power but they have already sanctioned a club-record spend which has exceeded £260million following the capture of Eberechi Eze.

Kiwior is still expected to join Porto as Arteta is understood to respect Kiwior's stance on a transfer given he will remain second in command to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at the Emirates Stadium.

He was back among the subs on Saturday as the Gunners demolished Leeds 5-0 in the Premier League after being left out of Arsenal's match day squad for the opening day 1-0 victory at Manchester United.

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