Kevin Hatchard has stated that it would be a ‘worry’ if a club like Tottenham Hotspur were to sign Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie and put him on the bench.
The European and Bundesliga football expert added that Hincapie is still ‘raw’ as a player, with the 21-year-old being targeted by Antonio Conte’s Tottenham in the transfer market.
Other than Cristian Romero, those in north London aren’t exactly blessed with consistent and high-performing defenders at the back.
Conte deploys a defensive system at Hotspur Way, with three at the back, yet, there are several players that still struggle.
If Spurs fans had a choice, then Romero is the only one they would keep in order to get to the next level, but in terms of incomings, is Hincapie the guy to target?
Whilst Hatchard thinks he is a ‘tremendous young player’, he warned that Spurs would have to take the rough with the smooth regarding the Ecuador international, as he told The Transfer Show on Sky Sports.
“I said raw about (Georginio) Rutter (joining Leeds United) and I still feel that about Hincapie,” said Hatchard. “There is a tremendous young player in there. But he does make mistakes.
“He’s giving away penalties. He has been sent off. He’s made bad passes, and things like that. If you are willing to stick with him, and give him game time and let him develop, then fine.
“If you are going to stick him on the bench, then that would be a big worry for him. At Leverkusen, they are very good at spotting talent, especially from South America. They hadn’t even met him when they decided to sign him. They saw him in the Copa America, they said ‘if we don’t move now, then somebody will’.
“He’s a fixer-upper. He is a project. I would worry if a big club like Spurs would bring him in and not play him.”
TOTTENHAM’S LONG-TERM FUTURE
Hincapie only recently turned 21, so if Spurs were to sign him, then it’s not like they are building for the short-term, but the long-term.
There is nothing wrong with that, but it seems as though, with Conte tasked to win a trophy, he works better with ready-made players in order to achieve that.
So, whilst Hincapie would be a top purchase, it’s probably not what Conte is looking for and suits a manager like Mauricio Pochettino more.
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