Arsenal closing in on £21.75m move for Bologna defender Aaron Hickey

Aaron Hickey is a target for Arsenal (Photo by Matteo Bottanelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Bologna full-back Aaron Hickey, with a £21.75m move said to be ‘very likely’ according to reports in Italy.

The 19-year-old joined the Serie A club from Hearts when he was just 17 and he’s made 48 appearances for Bologna already, scoring five times.

The Scotland international has predictably been compared to Andrew Robertson given that he is an attacking left-back and he already has two caps for his country, despite the competition in full-back areas.

Kieran Tierney is another Scot vying for that position and the former Celtic captain’s place under Mikel Arteta is under threat because of his injury problems.

Hickey is valued at around £21.75m (Photo by Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

While Tierney has impressed when fit since joining the Gunners, he’s averaged just 21 Premier League appearances-per-season since moving south of the border three years ago.

But Gazzetta Dello Sport claims that a move is now ‘very likely’ for Hickey and that Arsenal have already submitted a bid in the region of £21.75m.

More: Football

Arteta has been given a limited budget this summer after Arsenal’s failure to finish in the top four.

The Spaniard is prioritising a move for a striker, with Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus at the top of his list.

A move for a central midfielder is another area Areta is looking at and Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans is attracting the club’s interest.

MORE : Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s stance on joining Arsenal, Manchester United or Newcastle United this summer

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.