You can usually tell how great a prospect is by the way teammates and their club talk about them in the press.

If there is only talk about their potential and any achievements then it’s likely the club just want to cash in on someone, but if teammates start showering them with praise then you know they are an important personality at the club too.

HITC reported on the latest with Hearts defender Aaron Hickey, and it does sound like Celtic could be up against it if they do want to sign him.

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They claim that other teams like Man City, Bayern Munich, Lazio and AC Milan are interested, but that also shows how special he could be.

They quote his teammate Lewis Moore from an interview that he gave to The Sun, and it does put Hickey in a very positive light:

 “Aaron has already played so many games and been linked with some of the biggest teams in the world – it’s been incredible to see.”

“But it’s definitely not effecting Aaron. He’s the most laid back guy you could ever meet – he probably doesn’t even realise that he is being linked with all these teams!”

“His head is in the clouds sometimes. He just goes out and plays his football – and what a player he is. He is just an inspiration to everyone and shows you that you can make an impact, regardless of how young you are.”

One of the issues for Celtic is actually deciding when to make a move for him – he might not be an immediate first team option next season, but the longer they wait then it gives a chance for his price tag to rise or for someone else to step in.

The ideal situation may be to sign him but loan him back for a season or two, which might suit Hearts as well.

They look set to be relegated and that will bring financial pressures, so getting some money for Hickey and also getting to keep him for another year could be a major boost.

From Celtic’s point of view it could also make sense – yes he would be loaned to a team at a lower level, but he would also learn what it’s like to play for a side who should win every game and will be expected to win the league.

It’s still not clear where he will actually end up, but it really does sound like he could be a special player in the future.

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