QPR EYE HICKEY Hearts kid a target
QPR are weighing up a £1.5million bid for Hearts kid Aaron Hickey in January. The English Championship side are the latest club to register an interest in the Jambos’ 17-year-old full-back. Loftus Road scouts will be at Tynecastle today to see Hickey in action against Rangers. It will be the fourth time they
have been ordered north by former Rangers boss Mark Warburton, who is now in charge of the London club.
Hickey has hugely impressed the scouts and, given the teenager’s huge potential, Warburton sees the move as a sound investment.
The defender burst on to the scene when he became the youngest player ever to start a Scottish Cup Final , against Celtic at Hampden last season.
And he became a hero with Gorgie fans when he scored a dramatic late winner against Hibs at Easter Road last month.
But Hickey is out of contract in summer 2021 and has yet to sign a new long-term deal.
Tynecastle manager Craig Levein remains confident of striking an agreement with Hickey’s father – who also acts as his agent – as he looks to protect his main asset.
Levein has been quoted as saying he is taking the latest Hickey transfer speculation with “a lump of salt”.
But if the player hasn’t committed to the club by January, QPR will make their move – hoping that a £1.5m offer will tempt Hearts to cut their losses and sell up.
Hickey is attracting interest from across the UK and has been linked with both Manchester City and Rangers.
City already have ties with the capital club, having loaned Ryotaro Meshino to Hearts.
Meanwhile, Rangers’ new sporting director Ross Wilson had taken an interest in the kid while at Southampton.
But on Friday Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard distanced himself from any potential move.