The Daily Star reports that Manchester City are frontrunners in the race to sign Hearts starlet Aaron Hickey.
The 17-year-old left-back announced his arrival in the professional game, by scoring the winner in last month’s Edinburgh derby.
Since then, there have been rumours aplenty, with the Gers linked with a swoop.
It’s been suggested that new Gers Director of Football, Ross Wilson, will recommend the club goes after Hickey, having already lined him up for a move to previous club Southampton [Scottish Sun]
However, if Rangers are to be successful, it looks like they might have to overcome the lure of Champions League football with the reigning Premier League winners.
The report cites a lack of defensive cover at the Etihad has a motivator behind the interest and claims City are in pole position to land Hickey.
Manchester City ahead of Rangers in Hickey race
It’s yet to be determined whether the teenager will actually leave Tynecastle, or sign a new contract, which Hearts are hastily preparing in light of this apparent explosion of interest [Edinburgh Evening News].
If he does decide to leave, one hope Rangers may have, is that the prospects of playing semi-regularly are much higher at Ibrox than with City.
Even if they are interested in getting him on the books, Guardiola is hardly likely to throw a 17-year-old into his starting XI. For example, he waxes lyrical about Phil Foden on a regular basis, but despite being extremely highly regarded, he’s only made one league appearance this season and is two years older than Hickey.
At Rangers, Borna Barisic has recently established himself at left-back. However, there are no other out-and-out specialists in the squad, which is a void Hickey could fill, with a view to being the first pick a year or two down the line.
