Liverpool dealt transfer blow as Bundesliga club refuse to sell 21-year-old defender – Reports

Liverpool have reportedly been dealt a serious transfer blow as Bayer Leverkusen are said to be unwilling to part ways with Piero Hincapie.

The Reds have been in pursuit of a first-team central defender since the end of the 2022-23 campaign. They were thought to be linked with the likes of Chelsea's Levi Colwill and Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio earlier this summer, but they focussed on revamping their midfield.

In the final days of the summer window, Liverpool were believed to be interested in signing Hincapie with a £48 million move mooted. However, they decided not to go ahead with their pursuit and ended the window with four midfielders signed for a joint fee of around £145 million.

Now, according to Football Transfers, Bayer Leverkusen are unwilling to part ways with their Ecuadorian defender in the future. They are in no rush to sell the player, who penned an extension earlier this February.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, is said to be a big admirer of the 21-year-old versatile centre-back. He is hoping to rope in the player due to his perfect profile: the former Talleres defender is left-footed, adept at playing at left-back, and is calm on the ball.

Hincapie, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2027, could prove to be a brilliant addition to the Anfield outfit. He would fit in as the left-sided centre-back in Klopp's 3-2-2-3 transitional system and also potentially replace the aging Virgil van Dijk in the coming years.

So far, the Independiente del Valle academy graduate has scored three goals and contributed two assists in 77 games for Bayer Leverkusen.

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Peter Schmeichel offers take on Liverpool's Premier League title hopes after recent win

Manchester United great Peter Schmeichel has claimed that Jurgen Klopp's team will be unable to put up a Premier League title challenge in the ongoing campaign. He told Premier League Productions:

"I don't think they can [keep up with Manchester City]. If there is a team, it might be Arsenal – but that is a big might. I don't think anyone can stay with City, you look at their back four, [Kyle] Walker, [Ruben] Dias, [Manuel] Akanji and [Josko] Gvardiol – how can you compete with that? Liverpool for sure can't match it."

Liverpool, who are currently third in the Premier League table, have Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, and Jarell Quansah as their centre-back options. They have Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, and Kostas Tsimikas as their full-back choices.

The Merseyside outfit are next set to visit Austrian side LASK in their UEFA Europa League Group E opener on Thursday (September 21).