Erik ten Hag ‘hurt’ by Piero Hincapie Arsenal transfer

Piero Hincapie is on the verge of joining Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen (Picture: Getty Images)

Erik ten Hag admit it ‘hurts’ to see Piero Hincapie leave Bayer Leverkusen ahead of his imminent transfer to Arsenal.

The Ecuador international is on the verge of joining the Gunners and becoming their eight signing of their astonishing transfer window.

Hincapie will join the north London club on a season-long loan but the deal includes an option to buy for a total package of €52million.

The 23-year-old, who can play at left-back or left centre-half, was left on the bench for Leverkusen’s Bundesliga game against Werder Bremen on Saturday, ahead of which Ten Hag voiced his disappointment.

He said: ‘Letting good players leave always hurts. But we also have other good players and they then need to take on that task.’

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, has demanded spirit and conviction from his players as Arsenal bid to land their first Premier League win at Liverpool in 13 years.

Manager Arteta started for Arsenal the last time the north Londoners won a league game at Anfield in 2012.

But Arsenal head to face the champions off the back of a strong start to the season, and armed with new signing Eberechi Eze.

Erik ten Hag’s side were in action against Werder Bremen (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal trailed Liverpool by 10 points last season in a one-sided race for the title, but speaking on the eve of his side’s trip to Merseyside, Arteta insisted his new-look squad is ready to secure a statement win.

‘Liverpool are the champions and they are the champions because they deserved to be,’ said Arteta. ‘They were the better team last year, the most consistent team, and the one that found ways to win in many different ways, but we want to be that team this year.

“We need to go to Anfield with that spirit and that conviction, and just be convinced that we can go to Anfield and win.

‘It is a very important game because we want to continue building the momentum that we are in right now. Going to those grounds, those stadiums, against this kind of opposition is what we want, and coming away from those big games, winning in a really convincing way, that’s the objective.’

Arteta will be without Bukayo Saka for Sunday’s blockbuster clash after the England star sustained a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 5-0 triumph against Leeds at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

Saka’s absence could clear the way for Eze to start his first match since he secured a transfer from Crystal Palace to Arsenal for a fee which could rise to as much as £68million.

Eberechi Eze could make his debut against Liverpool for Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Arteta continued: ‘We have to add players who add value to things that can define football matches and with those two (Eze and Gyokeres), they are going to deliver individual actions, magic moments needed to win games.

‘When you are next to Ebere, you are comfortable. He has got a big smile. He picks teams apart. He asks you the right questions and then just let him flow with the ball. The ability he has to pick passes, to drive past people effortlessly and just to understand the timing of everything is very impressive.

‘We have to put him in the positions and scenarios where he can deliver those moments which is the reason why we brought him here – to give us something different, and something unexpected.’

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