He will make us stronger — Arsenal boss Arteta ready to win EPL title after 8th signing

Piero Hincapie joined Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen on an initial loan deal on transfer deadline day. The move for the Ecuadorian international includes an option to make the transfer permanent for €46 million.

Hincapie had expressed a desire to leave the German club earlier in the summer and was briefly a target for Tottenham Hotspur before Arsenal took control of negotiations. The transfer comes in the wake of an ankle injury to defender William Saliba and makes Hincapié the eighth new face to join Mikel Arteta's squad in a busy transfer window.

The Arsenal boss was delighted with the new addition, stating: “Piero has a real physical presence, with his versatility and tactical flexibility giving us strong added defensive options.

"He is a big character, with a very good combination of both youth and maturity. He will make our squad stronger and more competitive as we continue into this season.”

While most of the club's transfer budget has been spent on offensive firepower—with headline signings like Viktor Gyokeres for £63.5 million and Eberechi Eze for a potential club-record £67.5 million—the acquisition of Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera signals a concerted effort to also reinforce the back line.

Martín Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Nørgaard, and Kepa Arrizabalaga have also completed moves to Arsenal as the club looks to bolster its squad in its quest for the Premier League title.