Tottenham Hotspur have been keeping an 'eye' on Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie since last summer, BILD Sport journalist Christian Falk has informed GiveMeSport.

Spurs are in the market for new signings this window, though have made no additions as of yet in a quiet month for the north London outfit thus far.

Tottenham Transfer News - Piero Hincapie

As reported by The Sun, Tottenham are believed to be in the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen ace Hincapie in a deal that could cost around £20 million to complete.

The 21-year-old has grabbed the attention of many clubs due to his performances at the World Cup with Ecuador. Antonio Conte is desperate to bring a left-sided central defender to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a priority and Hincapie fits the bill due to his wide range of attributes.

Bayer Leverkusen will consider letting him go this window, though could look to sell him to Spurs and then take him back on loan for the remainder of the campaign. Tottenham could be 'persuaded' by this arrangement; nevertheless, much would depend on how negotiations transpire with the Bundesliga side.

Tottenham are also looking to add Sporting Lisbon right-back Pedro Porro to the ranks, though have run into a sticking point over how much of a potential fee they would need to pay for his services.

What has Christian Falk said about Piero Hincapie?

Bundesliga insider Falk - who has a column for CaughtOffside - has shed light on the situation, saying that Tottenham have been keeping an 'eye' on the player since last summer along with other Premier League clubs.

Falk told GMS: "Tottenham still has it's eye on him, already in the summer, but also Arsenal again and Chelsea are visiting what is happening with him."

Do Tottenham need to sign another defender this month?

In short, Tottenham could do with another defensive asset this window, especially given that they have conceded the most goals out of the Big Six in their Premier League duties this season.

Hincapie would add some steel to the Spurs' backline while also falling under the category of being a long-term option for Conte to develop in years to come.

In 2022/23, the 21-year-old made 18 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen across all competitions, scoring a solitary goal against Eintracht Frankfurt, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored notes that his exploits in the Champions League were particularly impressive for his current employers, as Hincapie won an average of 3.8 tackles per match across his five outings.

Of course, he still has room to grow as a player at 21. Nevertheless, the Premier League would be an excellent platform for Hincapie to continue his upward footballing trajectory if a transfer is to materialise.