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Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has asked the north London giants to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, who is also a target for Chelsea, according to TuttoMercatoWeb.
Hincapie, 20, notably appeared in each of Ecuador's three matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. His performances for the South American nation, as well as Leverkusen, have seen him attract interest from clubs including Chelsea.
The Blues are in the market for a left-sided central defender and have been linked with the likes of Josko Gvardiol. They are now said to be in talks over a deal for AS Monaco's Benoit Badiashile, but Hincapie is also a player of interest.
However, Chelsea could now face competition from London rivals Tottenham, according to the aforementioned source. Spurs boss Conte is reportedly a huge admirer of the Ecuador international.
The Italian tactician has asked the Premier League club to sign the defender from Leverkusen, as per the report. Spurs' director of football Fabio Paratici is now exploring the possibility of acquiring his services.
It now remains to be seen if the London outfit will look to strike a deal for Hincapie in the January transfer window. It is also unclear how much money Leverkusen will demand for his sale.
Leverkusen roped in Hincapie from from Argentinean outfit Club Atletico Talleres for around £7 million in the summer of 2021. The left-footed defender now has a contract with the Bundesliga side until the end of the 2025-26 season.
Hincapie has made 51 appearances across all competitions for the German club so far. The Ecuadorian has found the back of the net thrice and provided an assist in those matches.
Chelsea and Spurs target Hincapie is also a wanted man in Italy
It is worth noting that Chelsea and Tottenham are not the only clubs keeping tabs on Hincapie. The central defender is also the subject of transfer interest from clubs in the Italian Serie A.
Inter Milan are among the clubs credited with an interest in signing the Leverkusen youngster. However, they will not pursue a deal for him unless Alessandro Bastoni leaves, as per TuttoMercatoWeb.
Italian giants Juventus have also been mooted as a potential destination for Hincapie. The Bianconeri, though, are not in a situation to invest further in strengthening their squad as things stand.
The youngster is also said to have popped up on Napoli's radar, but they are keen to resolve Kim Min-jae's future first amidst interest from Manchester United. They are only likely to move for Hincapie if the South Korean leaves the club.
