Man City target Aaron Hickey in £1.5m deal

[Notts1874]

Just now, Darren said:

 

I was trying to say that in a slightly more subtle manner.

Stuff being subtle when it comes to him.

[Notts1874]

Just now, ...a bit disco said:

 

Ah, but what does he know about Man City, eh?

Even less one would imagine.

[...a bit disco]

2 minutes ago, Notts1874 said:

Even less one would imagine.

 

Indubitably.

 

 

[Spellczech]

37 minutes ago, busby1985 said:

And if we take our Hearts glasses off you say it’s a no brainer for the lad. Would also be sensational business from us. Take the £1.5 and a player then get Hickey back on loan for the next two season. Great incentive for the next generation of youngsters coming through. 

The exposure Hickey gets at Hearts at age 17 is way higher than he will get at Man city unless he makes the first team, and he won't do that if he is signed for only 1.5m...Did Hickey not come from Celtic? so he will know how hard it is to get genuinely noticed at a big club - sure there is a good wage and doubtless platitudes that he is "developing well" but you just don't get first team opportunities unless you are (a) truly exceptional (b) lucky. Hearts have been here before with David Gray and Man Utd and look where he ended up playing most of his career! LOL

 

The only reason Man City would offer £1.5m now would be to lock in the investment because they think it will rise. The only reason Hearts would accept it is because there is a financial need to accept it. He is academy talent so Hearts investment in him so far is minimal, but the potential return is far higher than £1.5m on a 2-footed FB who has pace and talent... 

[vegas-voss]

1 hour ago, Biguche said:

Selling a youngster who is little more than a good prospect to Man City for £1.5m along with a % sell on clause would be too good an offer for us to knock back. Chances are if he moves he fades into obscurity and emerges in the lower English leagues in a few years. If he beats the odds and goes on to be a success then we would be quids in.

If he was a success at City he wouldn't be leaving so having a sell on clause matters not a jot.

[Ray Gin]

12 hours ago, afanderson33 said:

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4649040/manchester-city-hearts-aaron-hickey/

 

Treble it and we can talk.

 

Fine - but only if there's 50% sell on clause so we rake it in when he's sold for £20 million in the inflated English market.

 

[Ibrahim Tall]

At this ‘stage’ £2m + a sell on fee/loaned back would be a very good deal tbh. Bit silly to pretend otherwise. 

 

Ive got complete confidence Hickey could go on to play at a really high level but realistically we’re talking about a kid that’s played half a dozen games for a team badly out of form in a poor league and he’s only just got into the national u19 squad.

Given we’ve been burned in the past with Driver, Walker, Paterson etc either getting crocked or left for pennies it’d be a bit daft to do the same again so quickly.

 

For the record Im not saying ‘sell him’, only that I could understand us considering it.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Ibrahim Tall

[The Treasurer]

Just over heard the office hooped demon talking on the phone.

Quote "I see Man City are offering £1.5m for that wee skinny guy that plays LB for the Hearts, we should match that as we're a much bigger club and he'd obviously want to come to us ahead of them (citeh)"

 

Talk about deluded

[Spellczech]

3 minutes ago, Barack said:

"Success" is a very complex word down South.

 

With a broad scope. Success can probably be measured  for City & other big teams, in terms of buying whoever for £, then selling to whoever for £££ or ££££...given the stupidity of talents' inflated prices. Rather than actual 1st team chances. The money & risk is too big these days, to do a "United" and try kids. (Admittedly they were an exceptional & lucky case.) All about the CL money & top 4. The odd one in 50 might come through. The rest might as well be prizes on The Price Is Right.

 

I'd hazard a decent guess too, that Meshino will be gone from there within 3-4 years, and will hardly get a sniff.

Indeed Liverpool regularly sell players who have very limited first team exposure - cariboa cup or whatever, bit of pre-season and an early round of the FA cup for 6-12m - they even got £20m off Brighton or Bournemouth for one...! That is footballer meat grinder churn, but financially it makes perfect sense for Liverpool, Utd, City, Chelsea and Arsenal all to do this. Barca do it too...Basically it is like buying a car, polishing it, and flipping it.

[the general]

35 minutes ago, Notts1874 said:

Multiple reasons I suppose. If it ends up in the Sun the story has usually come from the club.

 

Like bumping the price up by flushing out other teams? I'm intrigued 

[busby1985]

39 minutes ago, Icon of Symmetry said:

 

It would be a good effort at getting something out of a situation where we could have been left with literally **** all, but it’s very far from “sensational”.

You reckon getting £1.5million for a 17 year old who has played 5 first team games, isn’t sensational? 

[sadj]

3 hours ago, I.T.K said:

Would rather he go there then Celtic, which was rumored. 

 

 

Its would be a good result for the youth academy if we start selling players for over 6 figures to the EPL. 

 

 

Celtic were told to bolt when they enquired.

1 hour ago, Barack said:

Indeed

31 minutes ago, Notts1874 said:

Pro tip. Shaun knows **** all about Heart of Midlothian 👍

Indeed

29 minutes ago, Darren said:

 

I was trying to say that in a slightly more subtle manner.

Why bother , its def not an invented story though.

 

25 minutes ago, ...a bit disco said:

 

Indubitably.

 

 

👏🏻

[Spellczech]

6 minutes ago, Ibrahim Tall said:

At this ‘stage’ £2m + a sell on fee/loaned back would be a very good deal tbh. Bit silly to pretend otherwise. 

 

Ive got complete confidence Hickey could go on to play at a really high level but realistically we’re talking about a kid that’s played half a dozen games for a team badly out of form in a poor league and he’s only just got into the national u19 squad.

Given we’ve been burned in the past with Driver, Walker, Paterson etc either getting crocked or left for pennies it’d be a bit daft to do the same again so quickly.

 

For the record Im not saying ‘sell him’, only that I could understand us considering it.

Lost opportunity cost is not the same as lost cash - We got burned far more by signing rubbish like Beslija & Petric for fees, and giving too much in wages to players like Martin & Obua 

[DH1986]

I wouldn’t sell Man City a pair of my old trainers for anything less than £2m.....£1.5m for Hickey would not be good business.

[Biguche]

27 minutes ago, vegas-voss said:

If he was a success at City he wouldn't be leaving so having a sell on clause matters not a jot.

 

By success I mean gets a move to another team for decent money. He is never in a million years going to be a Man City first teamer

Edited August 27, 2019 by Biguche

[Spellczech]

3 minutes ago, Biguche said:

 

By success I mean gets a move to a other team for decent money. He is never in a million years going to be a Man City first teamer

If you believe that then you clearly believe that they will flip him, so why do you then believe they will cut us in on a share of any profit, when they will already say that the £1.5m being offered is pure profit to Hearts and pure investment risk to them?

Edited August 27, 2019 by Spellczech

[Martin_T]

£1.5 million is a throw away punt for a club of City's resources. EPL clubs regularly recruit players into their youth squads for similar amounts and they are often out of the game or playing at a lesser level a few years later.

 

It's definitely a bit of maroon tinted specs, but Hickey's career is best served by playing games of first team football. If he's good enough, which I think he more than is, he'll get a move in the fullness of time.

[Beast Boy]

11 minutes ago, busby1985 said:

You reckon getting £1.5million for a 17 year old who has played 5 first team games, isn’t sensational? 

 

Yes, yes I do. He is going to be a sensational player.

[Beast Boy]

13 minutes ago, Biguche said:

 

By success I mean gets a move to another team for decent money. He is never in a million years going to be a Man City first teamer

 

Why not? How on earth can you possibly know that? He’s got as much chance as any other young player in their youth squad. 

[Taffin]

Just now, Icon of Symmetry said:

 

Why not? How on earth can you possibly know that? He’s got as much chance as any other young player in their youth squad. 

 

So, exceedingly unlikely.

[franko1874]

14 minutes ago, Martin_T said:

£1.5 million is a throw away punt for a club of City's resources. EPL clubs regularly recruit players into their youth squads for similar amounts and they are often out of the game or playing at a lesser level a few years later.

 

It's definitely a bit of maroon tinted specs, but Hickey's career is best served by playing games of first team football. If he's good enough, which I think he more than is, he'll get a move in the fullness of time.

 

Correct, and he'll move for more than £1.5m 

[Don Dan]

Way way to early for Hickey to move. As good a player as he appears he needs a good season or two behind him playing 1st team football. 

[Beast Boy]

17 minutes ago, Taffin said:

 

So, exceedingly unlikely.

 

You would have to imagine so, I’m sure the statistics would show that very few young players do make that step up at MC. Some will though, and there’s absolutely no evidence to suggest he won’t have the same chances as any of the other players there. The youth coaches at City must think so anyway, and that’s really all that matters in terms of his prospects.

[I.T.K]

1 minute ago, Dannie Boy said:

Way way to early for Hickey to move. As good a player as he appears he needs a good season or two behind him playing 1st team football. 

 

The problem is after a season or two he could leave on free/development cost which is bad for Hearts. 

 

 

If Aaron wants to extend his contract that would be best for us. But if City and Celtic are sniffing about I doubt we could compete with wages and it might be worth cashing in.    

[Beast Boy]

When do people think we are going to get our massive sell on percentage for Patterson by the way?

[dustybin]

15 minutes ago, I.T.K said:

 

The problem is after a season or two he could leave on free/development cost which is bad for Hearts. 

 

 

If Aaron wants to extend his contract that would be best for us. But if City and Celtic are sniffing about I doubt we could compete with wages and it might be worth cashing in.    

Aye, let's just cash in on hickey and then the sale will help Levein to buy the quality we need, then if they are exceptional they too will be sold, we are a club not looking for success but simply to be a selling club only. 

[dustybin]

Can't we ever just tell a club NOT FOR SALE! 

[Don Dan]

11 minutes ago, Icon of Symmetry said:

When do people think we are going to get our massive sell on percentage for Patterson by the way?

 

Im not sure he will progress to a higher level than he has reached at the moment. I think he has reached his peak. I doubt he will be sold for big money now, he may go for a few million and we should score a few quid from that but we won’t get a massive sell on bonus. 

[dustybin]

31 minutes ago, Rave MacPherson said:

I reckon 3mill, loaned back for 2 yrs, a 20% sell on clause, 2 mill when he gets 20 caps and a jesus on a free with city paying his wages. Sounds about right to me

Do we really need to let him go? 

[E6 Inc]

Take the money but insist on a huge percentage sell on. Even a couple of appearances for City would put him into the astronomical value category compared to what we could get.

 

5m + 35% sell on and you'd take it.

 

I'd rather keep him for a couple more seasons though. 

 

[avhudtheteeshirt]

Hickey apart, how many other talented players are at the academy just waiting to burst through?

It looks like the academy is starting to pay off, and getting it right was always the goal!

Much as we don't want to be a selling club, selling down south is not the same as selling to Scottish rivals!!!!

[vegas-voss]

1 hour ago, Barack said:

"Success" is a very complex word down South.

 

With a broad scope. Success can probably be measured  for City & other big teams, in terms of buying whoever for £, then selling to whoever for £££ or ££££...given the stupidity of talents' inflated prices. Rather than actual 1st team chances. The money & risk is too big these days, to do a "United" and try kids. (Admittedly they were an exceptional & lucky case.) All about the CL money & top 4. The odd one in 50 might come through. The rest might as well be prizes on The Price Is Right.

 

I'd hazard a decent guess too, that Meshino will be gone from there within 3-4 years, and will hardly get a sniff.

Chances are there though I think Zinchenk o their Left back just now is a prime example it looked for a while as he was never going to make it then suddenly he is converted into their first choice left back.

[vegas-voss]

1 hour ago, Biguche said:

 

By success I mean gets a move to another team for decent money. He is never in a million years going to be a Man City first teamer

Why not 

Maybe not just now but they are trying to buy potential cheap.

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, Ibrahim Tall said:

At this ‘stage’ £2m + a sell on fee/loaned back would be a very good deal tbh. Bit silly to pretend otherwise. 

 

Ive got complete confidence Hickey could go on to play at a really high level but realistically we’re talking about a kid that’s played half a dozen games for a team badly out of form in a poor league and he’s only just got into the national u19 squad.

Given we’ve been burned in the past with Driver, Walker, Paterson etc either getting crocked or left for pennies it’d be a bit daft to do the same again so quickly.

 

For the record Im not saying ‘sell him’, only that I could understand us considering it.

 

 

Yip, I'd say £3m and a loan back of two years with a %. 

£3m is 25% of our yearly turnover. 

£2m of that towards players  is about 6 guys on £5k a week for us..for a year. 

 

Got to think about the lad as well, if it's true it's a dream move and a life changer for him. 

 

He'll want to go but also being so  young a longer loan spell makes sense for us and him. 

 

 

[Beast Boy]

3 minutes ago, Dannie Boy said:

 

Im not sure he will progress to a higher level than he has reached at the moment. I think he has reached his peak. I doubt he will be sold for big money now, he may go for a few million and we should score a few quid from that but we won’t get a massive sell on bonus. 

 

Exactly. The only thing that is guaranteed in the deal being talked about (although I actually think most of the figures and finer details are probably made up by McGregor), is the cash part. Loanees can be damp squibs or get injured and players’ development can stall. Money doesn’t take the huff, nor does it get injured. Sell on fees can very easily equal zero hard currency.

[Bazzas right boot]

7 minutes ago, dustybin said:

Can't we ever just tell a club NOT FOR SALE! 

 

If this is true, How do you think Hickey would feel about that? 

[Unknown user]

By the way - Pep's into a Hearts player

 

[SUTOL]

If the deal is they loan him from us for £1.5million a year, then I think we should accept it. 

 

 

Otherwise they can    

[Bazzas right boot]

32 minutes ago, Smithee said:

By the way - Pep's into a Hearts player

 

 

 

😂😂😂

[dustybin]

40 minutes ago, avhudtheteeshirt said:

Hickey apart, how many other talented players are at the academy just waiting to burst through?

It looks like the academy is starting to pay off, and getting it right was always the goal!

Much as we don't want to be a selling club, selling down south is not the same as selling to Scottish rivals!!!!

Trouble is though that they often end up here. 

[Harry Potter]

1 hour ago, The Treasurer said:

Just over heard the office hooped demon talking on the phone.

Quote "I see Man City are offering £1.5m for that wee skinny guy that plays LB for the Hearts, we should match that as we're a much bigger club and he'd obviously want to come to us ahead of them (citeh)"

 

Talk about deluded

Much bigger, ha ha, oh ma sides, 

[smiler]

37 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

If this is true, How do you think Hickey would feel about that? 

Wanted and loved, and ready to continue his development at Hearts. 

[jr ewing]

2 hours ago, Icon of Symmetry said:

 

It’s just produced the guy we are actually talking about... so eh... y’know... 🙃

That's one. 

[Spellczech]

41 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

If this is true, How do you think Hickey would feel about that? 

Perhaps it is not a good move for Hickey? Joining a big club for a (comparatively) small fee may not be his best option...plenty have made that mistake in the past.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Spellczech

[jr ewing]

2 hours ago, Spellczech said:

So by your own argument which is the more likely? - selling one player ever year for £1m for 10 years without fail or sell one player for £10m at any time in a decade...

 

The Academy will pay for itself in due course. Selling prospects too soon is more likely to hinder than help it do that...

No guarantee. We'll find out in time 

 

[Beast Boy]

2 minutes ago, jr ewing said:

That's one. 

 

Thats the one we are talking about. How are you not getting this? If we make money from him, then he’s proven the academy is working. 

[dustybin]

2 minutes ago, Icon of Symmetry said:

 

Thats the one we are talking about. How are you not getting this? If we make money from him, then he’s proven the academy is working. 

So the academy is meant to help us in the playing side rather than bump up the cash to buy more defenders of the Levein style. 

[Marvin]

14 hours ago, afanderson33 said:

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4649040/manchester-city-hearts-aaron-hickey/

 

Treble it and we can talk.

 

I was just about to post exactly that. Or is it a Sun thing to unsettle the lad?

Knowing CL/Budge they will probably accept it.

[Sexton Hardcastle]

1 minute ago, Marvin said:

 

I was just about to post exactly that. Or is it a Sun thing to unsettle the lad?

Knowing CL/Budge they will probably accept it.

Why are AB/CL going to accept it? What history of low ball offers have they accepted?

 

Idiot comment as per.

[Notts1874]

10 minutes ago, dustybin said:

So the academy is meant to help us in the playing side rather than bump up the cash to buy more defenders of the Levein style. 

Is this a question or a statement?