Moises Caicedo and Liverpool star send Piero Hincapie message as secret Arsenal talks revealed

Mikel Arteta and Piero Hincapie at the Sobha Realty Training Centre (Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Moises Caicedo and Florian Wirtz have congratulated Piero Hincapie on his transfer to Arsenal. The Gunners signed the 23-year-old defender on loan from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day as Mikel Arteta raced to bolster his backline.

It's understood that the north Londoners were long admirers of Hincapie , who had also been separately tracked by Andrea Berta for time. Arsenal announced the Ecuadorian's move on Monday night, shortly after the transfer window had slammed shut.

Upon his unveiling, Hincapie penned an emotional open letter to Leverkusen supporters . On Instagram, he wrote: "Today, it’s time for me to say goodbye to Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

"These have been four years of dedication, hard work, and lessons that have helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person. Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and all the fans for their unwavering support at every stage.

"I leave with a heart full of gratitude and the pride of having defended this badge with passion and commitment. This club and its people will always hold a very special place in my heart #Werkself."

Among the hundreds of comments under Hincapie's post was a message from Wirtz, who also left Leverkusen this summer. The Liverpool midfielder wrote: "Maquina. All the best, brother [red heart emoji]."

A few moments later, Hincapie introduced himself to the Arsenal fanbase. In his next Instagram post, captioning a picture from his photoshoot, he wrote: "My new home [salute emoji]."

Moussa Diaby, Emi Buendia and Enner Valencia congratulated Hincapie in the comment section. As did Moises Caicedo, who wrote: "Happy for you brother [clapping hands and star eyes emoji]."

The Chelsea midfielder has shared the pitch 49 times with Hincapie on the international stage, keeping seven clean sheets in each of their last seven appearances together. While the duo are friends, the new Arsenal defender sought advice from Granit Xhaka before swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League.

Speaking to the club website , Hincapie said: "We'd speak a lot but not about [Arsenal]. However, I asked him about Arsenal at one point, and I queried him about how things were here.

"He spoke wonders about the club and how he felt during his spell here. I loved the conversation that we had at that point, and it wasn't that recent. He did send me a message recently, though. He always spoke well of the club."

On joining the Gunners, Hincapie added: "It only took one conversation to make me feel sure about the decision that I was taking. I'm over the moon. I want to gel as best as I can with my new teammates and have a good season.

"I always want to win trophies for this club, to make a name for myself, and to leave a mark. I want to get off to a good start quickly and that's the most important thing."