Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Bologna full-back Aaron Hickey in the summer transfer window.
The 19-year-old came through the youth ranks at Hearts and Celtic before joining the Serie A outfit for the 2020-21 campaign, and he has since established himself as a key figure in the Italian top flight.
Hickey's debut season at Bologna saw him make 12 appearances without a goal or assist, but the Scotland international has raised his level in the 2021-22 campaign.
Hickey has started 34 Serie A matches for Bologna this term and has registered five goals and an assist in the process, while his versatility has also come to the fore.
Primarily comfortable on the left, Hickey has also operated on the right-hand side for Sinisa Mihajlovic's side and has already earned two caps for the Scotland national team.
© Reuters
The teenager's rise has naturally led to interest from clubs challenging for spots in Europe, and according to Calcio Napoli 24, Arsenal are on the verge of winning the race for his signature.
The report claims that Bologna's sporting director Riccardo Bigon flew to London to hold transfer talks earlier this week, and a fee has now been agreed for the transfer of Hickey.
The Gunners can supposedly expect to fork out up to €25m (£21m) for Hickey's services, and there are only a few details to be ironed out before the deal can be made official.
Napoli were understood to be interested in the former Celtic starlet - whose Bologna deal expires in 2024 - but Arsenal's strong relationship with Bologna have helped them seal a deal.
The two clubs agreed on the transfer of Takehiro Tomiyasu last summer, and despite his injury woes, he has enjoyed a largely positive first season in North London.
© Reuters
In total, Hickey has amassed five goals and one assist from 47 games in a Bologna shirt, and his last game for the club could come in next Sunday's trip to Genoa in Serie A.
The full-back positions have proved troublesome for Mikel Arteta to fill consistently this season, with Tomiyasu struggling for months with a calf problem and Kieran Tierney recently undergoing knee surgery.
Nuno Tavares has failed to convince on the left-hand side, while Cedric Soares's future at the club has also come into question in the wake of a number of shaky performances.
The Portuguese is believed to want to stay and fight for his place in the Gunners' first XI and will seemingly start in Monday's Premier League trip to Newcastle United amid Arteta's defensive injury woes.
News of an agreement for Hickey comes after previous reports claiming that Arsenal were on the verge of sealing a £3m deal for Sao Paulo attacker Marquinhos as their first summer signing.
Ben Knapton
