Nottingham Forest transfer news: Reds join Tottenham and Newcastle in race for Piero Hincapie

Nottingham Forest are being linked with a move for talented Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie. The

Hincapie, 21, signed for Leverkusen in 2021 from Argentine outfit CA Talleres. He’s quickly become a mainstay in the Leverkusen rearguard, making 76 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit.

The tough-tackling defender was cautioned 14 times during the 2021/22 campaign. He struck up a partnership with Jonathan Tah last season and he’s also a player that Forest have been linked with.

Reds aren’t the only Premier League club that are showing interest, with Tottenham and Newcastle also thought to be keen.

According to Bola VIP, the defender could be on the move this summer. Xabi Alonso doesn’t really want to sell him but it’s suggested that the club could be tempted if they receive an offer of £37 million.

Hincapie is also an international footballer. He’s collected 23 caps playing for Ecuador and with a plethora of young talent coming through they qualified for the World Cup in Qatar before losing in the group stages.

Forest are clearly looking for another central defender this summer. Felipe and Moussa Niakhate were the first choice at the end of 2022/23, with Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna also on the books.

Forest want Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen

The defender has been compared to Tottenham enforcer Cristian Romero in the past. That would suggest that he’s solid but can occasionally be erratic.

Hincapie now has experience in a top European league and suitors are emerging. The player has a contract until 2027 and as a result, the £37 million valuation makes sense.

Forest clearly want to tighten up their rearguard. The aim for Steve Cooper will be to ensure a campaign where they aren’t chasing survival up until the penultimate game of the season.

Rumour rating: 3/10 – giving it a low score doesn’t mean we don’t want this one to happen. Hincapie would be a class signing for the Reds but ultimately we can’t see Forest pulling it off.

Tottenham won’t be in Europe but they will challenge next season; whilst Newcastle can offer Hincapie a chance to play Champions League football.

Signing a central defender for £37 million would seriously decimate Forest’s budget and we think this one if just out of the club’s reach right now.