---
title: "Newcastle United: PIF ‘ready’ to sign Aaron Hickey"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-transfer-news-hickey-brentford-bologna/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Clancy"
section: "Newcastle United News"
published: "2022-05-28T20:20:44Z"
modified: "2022-05-28T20:20:44Z"
---

# Newcastle United: PIF ‘ready’ to sign Aaron Hickey

**The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly now ‘ready’ to sign Aaron Hickey for [Newcastle United](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/) this summer.**

### The Lowdown: ‘Amazing’ development

Former teammate at Hearts – and now part of the coaching team for Scotland – Steven Naismith has hailed Hickey’s ‘[amazing](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/sport/football/aaron-hickey-scotland-development-praise-26531593)‘ development since leaving the country to sign for Bologna in Italy.

[Newcastle news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-6/)

Indeed, he played in all but two games in the Serie A this season, scoring five goals and making one assist from full-back ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aaron-hickey/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/591949/plus/0?saison=2021&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=)), as part of a defence that conceded the [ninth-fewest](https://www.skysports.com/serie-a-table) goals in the division, finishing 13th on a very low budget.

His performances earned Hickey his first [two](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aaron-hickey/nationalmannschaft/spieler/591949) senior caps for Scotland back in March, at the tender age of just 19.

### The Latest: Newcastle ‘ready’

As per [Gazzetta dello Sport](https://www.gazzetta.it/?refresh_ce) (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/newcastle-magpies-ready-fight-arsenal-signing-gunners-ready-increase-pressure/)), the St. James’ Park faithful are now ‘ready’ to sign Hickey ‘above all’, with Arsenal and Brentford also thought to be interested in his signature.

\[freshpress-poll id=”397874″\]

He is likely to cost in the region of €25m (£21.3m), should he make the switch to the North East.

### The Verdict: Sign

At 19 years of age, Hickey has the world at his feet, and there is no doubting his potential having already played at a high level for club and country.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”389224″\]

He is equally as [comfortable](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aaron-hickey/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/591949/plus/0?saison=2021&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) at playing at right-back and left-back, which makes him a handy option for Eddie Howe, and at six-foot tall, could perhaps even do a job as a central defender if needed.

Nonetheless, £21.3m could end up being a small price to pay if he rapidly develops over the next few years.

[***In other news, find out which ‘outstanding leader’ could now join the Magpies here!***](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-mings-premier-league/)