May 03, (THEWILL) – Arsenal have shown some interest in signing Aaron Hickey of Bologna, who has had a good season in Serie A. Hickey joined Bologna from Hearts in the summer of 2020, and in his debut season with the club, he made 11 appearances.
The 19-year-old, who can play left and right defence, has received praise both in Italy and abroad for his outstanding season with the club. He has established himself as a key member of their defence this season, appearing in 33 league games and scoring five goals and adding an assist.
With Kierney on the sidelines following knee surgery and Takehiro Tomiyasu only recently returning to action following respective calf injuries, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is looking for a versatile left-sided defender to boost his defence this season.
While Cedric Soares is content to remain at the Emirates Stadium, making a summer move improbable, Nuno Tavares’ performances have been questioned due to his erratic form and mostly unreliable play at the back.
Hickey’s contract with Bologna expires in the summer of 2024, and the club is reportedly asking for a cost of around €20 million.
When asked if he anticipated a busy summer in terms of player recruiting, Arteta responded: “I am expecting so, yes. I think both competitions [the Champions League and Europa League] require a much larger squad because the amount of games you play is much bigger in both, so I don’t think [which you qualify for] makes a lot of difference or changes a lot.
“If you can financially afford it and we don’t have to do the turnaround in the squad that we’ve had to do, if you ask me what I want it’s 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers.
“You have to come a long way in the aspects that you see on the pitch, it’s a lot of things that have to be put in place and that takes time.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
