Tottenham are actually doing more than Arsenal for £52m signing, but it doesn’t matter

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Tottenham could be beaten to a transfer by Arsenal for the second time in the summer transfer window.

There’s certainly no love lost between Arsenal and Spurs, even more so after what’s happened this summer. 

Arsenal hijacked Spurs’ deal to sign Eberechi Eze, who only had the Gunners on his mind when it came to choosing his next club.

Eze actually asked Mikel Arteta to sign him after Tottenham had presented an offer to Crystal Palace, with every aspect of the transfer leaving those in N17 red-faced. 

What’s concerning for the Lilywhites is that it could happen again.

• READ MORE: People in football are all saying the same thing about Eberechi Eze, Mikel Arteta will love it

Tottenham have a better package for Piero Hincapie

Arsenal are pushing to sign Piero Hincapie, whom Spurs are also showing an interest in. 

The centre-back could arrive to replace Jakub Kiwior, who is Porto-bound, which would represent another occasion of the Gunners beating their rivals to a player. 

To rub salt in the wounds, there’s a similar narrative going on to the Eze deal, as Hincapie has made it clear he only wants Arsenal. 

The latest to speak on the transfer was expert Dean Jones, who told the Ranks FC podcast that Spurs have actually presented a better package for both the player and Bayer Leverkusen. 

“Arsenal are not actually even looking to give Bayer Leverkusen, as I understand it, as good a deal as Tottenham would have been willing to do,” Jones said.

Jones doubled down on Hincapie’s desire to sign for Arsenal, despite the fact that the player would receive more minutes at Spurs. 

“The player clearly quite fancies this one,” he said.

“I’m not sure exactly what it is about Arsenal beyond the fact that they’re just at a higher level right now, because I know that he was interested in Tottenham to some degree and felt that he could break into that team, he’d get enough game time.”

German media suggest Arsenal could sign Hincapie on an initial loan that includes an obligation to buy for £52m at the end of the season, a deal that could deny Spurs another one of their transfer targets. 

Hincapie has already impressed at the Emirates

It would be a huge blow for Tottenham, not only by missing out to their bitter rivals but by missing out on the talent that is Hincapie.

Not only is Hincapie highly rated at Leverkusen, but Arsenal have actually experienced first-hand how good the defender is. 

In August 2024, Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates in a pre-season clash, a fixture that the Ecuadorian played 63 minutes in. 

As seen through the 23-year-old’s numbers on the day in N5, his distribution and defensive actions were to be celebrated, a performance that Arteta might’ve subtly treated as an audition.

It would be fascinating to see Hincapie arrive to bolster Arsenal’s defensive options even further, with the snub of Spurs having the potential to make the deal even sweeter.