Bologna going all out to secure Hickey deal

Bologna intend to “do everything possible” to sign Aaron Hickey from Hearts and use him as deputy for first-choice left-back Mitchell Dijks.

Walter Sabatini, who works in a technical director capacity for the Italian sand the Canadian club Montreal Impact, spoke yesterday as negotiations continue over the 18-year-old.

Bologna lodged a £1.3 million transfer offer last week but Hearts want a higher amount given Celtic are due 30 per cent from their sell-on clause.

Hickey’s contract expires next May and the Edinburgh club value him at a minimum £1.5m.

Discussions with Bologna officials are ongoing.

Celtic remain interested in taking the defender back to Glasgow but prospects of Hickey, above, joining Bayern Munich are effectively dead.

Bologna are trying to finalise a deal with Hearts to take him to Serie A and Sabatini explained why he is an attractive prospect.

“Yes, we will do everything possible to take Aaron Hickey,” said the 65-yearold.

“He can play football, is intelligent and has important tactical qualities, also bearing in mind that he is a smart guy. “With us he would be Dijks’s alternative. Does B aye rn Munich want him, too? We choose great teams as market competitors because we want to become great.”