Premier League pair Southampton and Manchester City reportedly want to raid Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts for Craig Levein’s left-back.
Hearts manager Craig Levein has admitted to the BBC that there is interest in the young left-back amid claims that Manchester City and Southampton are watching him very closely.
The future of Hearts’ 17-year-old rising star has come under question this week. Just one day after Hickey scored his first career goal, a late winner in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian no less, Scotsman claimed that Manchester City and Southampton are looking to lure him to the Premier League.
Understandably, struggling Hearts are not looking to sell the former Celtic youngster any time soon and remain hopeful of tying him down to a long term contract to either scare off the suitors or to raise his price-tag substantially.
“We’re going back and forward with his father. It’s in the pipeline,” said Levein, confirming that contract talks are underway.
“He’s done ever so well for a young kid. I know there are teams watching him, like there would be for any young kid who comes on the radar and does the things that he’s done at 17.”
The former Scotland manager believes that Hickey has no desire to walk away from Tynecastle just yet, however, with just a handful of senior appearances to his name,
“I don’t think it’s in his interest at all to be looking to do anything else until he’s played 100 games or something.”
Nonetheless, the chance to work with Pep Guardiola and Ralph Hasenhuttl, two coaches who are credited with the rise of Gerard Pique, Joshua Kimmich, Sergio Busquets, Timo Werner and Naby Keita, obviously carries an appeal for a young player with limitless potential.
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