Real Madrid make enquiry for Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie

Real Madrid have made a formal enquiry about Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie as Jose Mourinho targets a versatile, left-footed centre-half ahead of his first season back at the Bernabeu.

Arsenal value Hincapie highly after he played an integral role in Mikel Arteta’s side clinching the title and reaching the Champions League final, and any further defensive or midfield signings at Real Madrid will hinge on player sales, ESPN adds.

The Madrid squad already lists five central options following David Alaba's departure, and executives are listening to offers for Raul Asencio to free up space.

The board is focused on trimming a bloated first team before finalising another multi-million-pound signing; the club has sealed deals for Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and Denzel Dumfries, and financial regulations mean fringe players must be offloaded.

Hincapie remains with Ecuador at the ongoing World Cup and will address his club future ahead of pre-season.

Ecuador

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