In a recent print edition, Calciomercato mentioned that Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey is close to joining Arsenal this summer. It has been mentioned that the Scotland international is ‘one step away’ from sealing a move to the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners expected to complete a deal in the coming days.
Hickey’s Decent Form At The Stadio Renato Dall’Ara
Hickey is enjoying a good season in Italian football after performing at a high level on the left side of Bologna’s defence. The former Celtic youth player has registered five goals and one assist in 35 matches for the Italian club during this campaign across all competitions.
The 19-year-old has caught the eye at times by averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.9 clearances, 0.6 shots, 0.5 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in Serie A. He has even been excellent with his ball distribution based on his pass completion rate of 83.2% in the Italian top-flight (stats via whoscored).
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What Will Hickey Add To Arsenal Head Coach Mikel Arteta’s Side?
Hickey can be a good defender at the back when he is playing with confidence on the left flank. The two-time Scotland international usually works hard to earn possession back for his team and doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball on the defensive end of the field. Hickley is primarily a left-back but can even function as a left-sided winger or operate as a right full-back if required. He can even be a threat going forward but needs to be more consistent with his end-product in the final third.
A left-back of Hickey’s quality will be a good fit for Mikel Arteta‘s brand of football at the Emirates Stadium. He could serve as an upgrade over Kieran Tierney, who has been quite injury-prone this season and offer more competition for Nuno Tavares in the English capital.
Hickey will add more quality to Arsenal‘s backline and could help the North London club secure a top-four place in the Premier League next season. Thus, the Gunners should think about moving in for the Scottish sensation during the summer transfer window.
