Aaron Hickey tipped for Premier League giant as Brentford insider shares why he's 'loved' in London with Euro 2024 on the horizon

Aaron Hickey's rapid ascent up the footballing echelons is on course to reach dizzy new heights with Scotland at this summer’s European Championships. The former Hearts starlet looks a certainty to be celebrating his 22nd birthday on June 10 by building up for the biggest game of his life four days later when Steve Clarke’s side open Euro 2024 against the host nation in Munich.

But Hickey’s rise won’t peak in Bavaria according to former Tynecastle midfielder Neil MacFarlane who is on the coaching staff at his current club Brentford. MacFarlane insists the flying full-back is so good that he's on course win a move to one of the Premier League’s big six.

That’s how highly the 21-year-old is regarded by the Bees coaching staff, led by Thomas Frank who sanctioned the £14m move to bring Hickey back from Bologna 18 months ago. MacFarlane, head coach of Brentford B, sees Hickey at work on an almost daily basis.

And he is convinced the former Hearts kid, who started the 2019 Scottish Cup Final at the age of 16 before moving to Serie A for £1.5m a year later, will follow in the footsteps of Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay by becoming the latest Scot to star for a Premier League behemoth.

Hickey is on the road back to fitness having missed the last two months with a hamstring injury. And MacFarlane said: “Aaron is injured just now but he is so highly thought of. He’s a terrific young player. A terrific full-back.

“First and foremost he is a really good person who has the qualities to perform where we are at the moment but I think he can also kick on. Hopefully he can come back from this injury and help us and then get himself back into the Scotland for the Euros in the summer. He has a big future. We love him