Bologna issue signing ultimatum to Hickey

Aaron Hickey has just 24 hours left to let Bologna know if he wants to be fast-tracked into Serie A.

The Italian club are ready to meet Hearts’ asking price of £1.5-million for the teenager. But they have set a Monday deadline on their offer after becoming weary of Hickey’s deliberations over whether to join them, or Bayern Munich.

Both clubs are keen to land the young Scot, and have given him tours of their facilities in an attempt to seal the deal.

However, while the Bavarians initially want Hickey to join Bayern Munich II in the third tier of German football, Bologna have offered to immediately install him as understudy to their regular first-choice left-back, Mitchell Dijks.

That offer – extended to the youngster by head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic during the tour – went down so well at the time that it was reported in Italy that a deal was as good as done. Now, though, Bologna fear Bayern, who meet Paris Saint-germain in the Champions League Final tonight, have succeeded in turning his head.

“We have set a deadline of Monday to conclude the situation with Hickey,” said Bologna technical director, Walter Sabatini. “After that, we move on to other business.”

Lyon, recently, and Celtic, going further back, have also made inquiries about the player. But it is understood he now views it is as a choice between the Bundesliga or Serie A. Bayern already have Scotland youth international,

Liam Morrison, in their academy system with another product of the Celtic youth system, Barry Hepburn, poised to join him.

Aaron Hickey and (left) Bologna’s Walter Sabatini