Arsenal have reportedly agreed on a deal with Serie A outfit Bologna for Scottish defensive prodigy Aaron Hickey, and a move looking imminent.
According to Calcio Napoli, Arsenal are on the verge of signing Aaron Hickey in the coming days as the Gunners agree to a deal with Bologna for the defender. The north London side have reportedly managed to lure the Scotsman for a fee of around €25 million.
Arsenal are taking huge strides toward sorting their transfer business. The Gunners are in the market to strengthen multiple positions and have already made several approaches to lure in necessary players. Mikel Arteta wants to bring in a striker, midfielder and full-backs.
As far as full-backs are concerned, there are very few players who fit the bill for Arsenal, and one of them is Aaron Hickey. The Bologna defensive prodigy remains one of the attractive options in the market for Arsenal, with a growing reputation.
The Gunners had submitted an enquiry to Bologna to understand the finer details to conclude a transfer. Arsenal have good relations with the Serie A outfit following Takehiro Tomiyasu’s successful transfer last summer and would like to conduct more business with them.
One way the Gunners could get favourable reception due to their goodwill with Bologna’s president, who reportedly flew to London for discussions over a move for Hickey. The left-back has scored five goals this season in 35 appearances, making him one of the most reliable performers for the Serie A outfit.
The Gunners reportedly opened talks with Bologna’s president some time ago, and now they have agreed on a deal worth around €25 million. Many believe Arteta is looking at Hickey to replace Nuno Tavares, although the Scotsman could be a versatile full-back option, covering either flank.
Arteta’s idea of having a fluid system throughout the pitch could see Hickey compete with Tomiyasu, Tavares and Kieran Tierney across both flanks. The Scottish defensive prodigy’s versatility and goalscoring ability could also let him take up midfield or wide attacking roles.
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There is plenty of scope for the defender to develop further, and Arteta would be keen on moulding the youngster to his liking. It remains to be seen what transpires in the next step of this transfer saga. For now, Hickey moving to the Emirates looks imminent, although Arsenal and are yet to agree on personal terms.
