Arsenal transfer target Aaron Hickey has played down speculation he could leave Bologna this summer, insisting he is only thinking about his future in Italy.
Hickey has emerged as an option in the summer for the Gunners as they look for cover behind Kieran Tierney. The Scotland international was ruled out for the rest of the season last month and his backup in Nuno Tavares has often struggled when called upon to replace him.
With Mikel Arteta's side scheduled for a return to European football next season, potentially the UEFA Champions League, the Spaniard has already spoken about needing a bigger squad and the club have identified Hickey following an impressive season in Serie A with five goals and one assist across 33 appearances this campaign.
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Able to operate across the back-line and even in midfield, Hickey is seen as the ideal cover for not just Tierney but also his former Bologna team-mate Takehiro Tomiyasu who has also missed large chunks of the season due to injury. Cedric has deputised for the Japanese international when injured and is happy in north London football.london understands, but that hasn't stopped Arteta from planning for defensive additions when the season ends.
However, 19-year-old Hickey has spoken about needing to improve both offensively and defensively and that he plans on keeping his head down and getting better in Italy, saying that his future currently lies in Bologna as speculation continues to mount he could leave for around £18million to the Premier League.
"My goal this season was to play more games than last season," he said via the Scottish Daily Record. I achieved that aim and that's something I am very happy about. The important thing is to keep my head down and keep improving with a coaching staff that are helping me a lot. Now I think about my future only here in Bologna.
"The way we play helps me a lot compared to what I was used to in Scotland. In terms of my progress, I have to keep improving to gain experience and help the team. But personally, I think I still need to improve both in the attacking and defensive parts of my game."
Arsenal are not the only club in England keen on Hickey's services, with Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Brentford all interested in the left-back. Italian club AC Milan are also thought to be looking at adding the Scottish star to their ranks.
