Arsenal frustrates Barcelona's plans
The Gunner set has no intentions of selling one of its players despite the Blaugrana interest.
Arsenal has categorically closed any option to sell Piero Hincapié in the upcoming winter transfer window. A hard blow for the objectives of Barcelona's signing, which had him in sight to strengthen their defense in January.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the London club has no intentions of negotiating the exit of the South American defender despite intense rumors linking him to Barcelona. Meanwhile, the Italian specialist added that attention on the left flank of Camp Nou is now shifting to Alejandro Balde, who would be willing to leave the Blaugrana entity in January 2027 if his sporting situation does not change immediately.
❗️Arsenal have NO intentions of selling Hincapie, despite contrary rumors. Meanwhile, Balde could be open to leaving Barcelona in January if his situation doesn’t change, one to watch. @FabrizioRomano #Transfers 📁🔵🔴
— Reshad Rahman (@ReshadRahman) November 6, 2026
Mikel Arteta shields Piero Hincapié despite his role as Calafiori's substitute
In the offices of Concha Espina and Spotify Camp Nou, they monitored the situation of the Ecuadorian central defender as a golden opportunity, given his lower playing time at the Emirates Stadium. So far this season 2026-2027, Hincapié has accumulated only 346 minutes on the pitch, having been relegated to the usual substitute role of Italian Riccardo Calafiori on the left flank of the 'Gunner' defense. Despite this limited participation, coach Mikel Arteta has communicated to the sports committee that he does not contemplate losing the defender under any circumstances.
The San Sebastián coach considers the Tricolor international an irreplaceable piece due to his reliability in one-on-one duels, his performance every time he steps onto the field, and his ability to alternate effectively between the positions of center-back and left-back. With a valuation on Transfermarkt of 50 million euros and a contract locked down for a very long time until June 30, 2031, the English club has dismissed any approach from Deco for the winter window.
Alejandro Balde's warning shakes Hansi Flick's plans
The British closure on Hincapié coincides with a situation of maximum uncertainty on the left flank of the Blaugrana team. Alejandro Balde, who has not yet managed to establish himself with the desired regularity in Hansi Flick's starting lineups, is closely watching the market and considering a change of scenery in January in search of continuity. The 23-year-old player has conveyed to his surroundings that he is not ruling out listening to proposals from major continental clubs if his status in the starting eleven does not improve in the coming weeks.
This position opens a complex scenario for the technical secretary led by Deco, which now must decide whether to retain the homegrown player or seek other alternatives after the Hincapié option has been definitively closed. Internal discussions at the Joan Gamper Sports City will intensify before the end-of-year competitive break. With Arsenal firm in its decision not to sell Piero Hincapié, FC Barcelona will focus its efforts on resolving the future of Alejandro Balde as it approaches the January 2027 market.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Arsenal frustra los planes del Barcelona