Craig Levein has claimed that Celtic made SIX offers to sign Aaron Hickey after agreeing a deal for the defender to join Hearts in 2018.
It does seem rather far fetched from the former Hearts manager and Director of Football who officially let the Tynecastle payroll at the end of May, 12 months after Hickey made his first team debut.
Levein has found a ready made place on BBC Scotland, adding his insight into current matters to that of Tom English, Neil McCann and Billy Dodds.
After suffering relegation Hearts are facing a serious financial hit, mainly as a result of Levein’s mis-management.
While Steven Naismith and Liam Bryce hold on to salaries in excess of most footballers outside Glasgow it’s hard to imagine that Hickey is on a basic of more than £500/week after joining Hearts as a 16-year-old from Celtic.
Discussing Celtic’s interest in the left-back BBC Scotland reports Levein saying:
Celtic tried to buy him back half-a-dozen times and that just got knocked back. Celtic tried to buy him back while he was in the first team, I think it was five or six times.
Hickey made his first team debut in May 2019, going on to play against Celtic in the final SPFL fixture of the season and in the Scottish Cup Final.
Kieran Tierney was first choice left-back when Tierney moved to Hearts, since then the hoops have signed Greg Taylor and Boli Bolingoli.
Hickey is reported to be in talks over a move to Bologna with Celtic believed to be due a 30% cut of any transfer fee with his contract expiring next May.