Manchester City may have to look elsewhere for full-back options this summer as Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, confirmed that the team will not be selling Aaron Hickey.
The Scottish international has found himself linked to City as they seek an answer to their long-standing struggles at full-back.
City boss Pep Guardiola is keen to bolster in a number of defensive positions this summer. RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is on the radar, while there are also hopes to strengthen at full-back following the January departure of Joao Cancelo.
With Cancelo a candidate for a permanent exit in the summer, City may need to find a replacement and reports have suggested that Hickey could be a £30m target for the reigning Premier League champions.
However, Frank has made it abundantly clear that he is not interested in humouring a summer exit for Hickey.
“We will not sell him,” the Brentford boss said. “He’s not even been here a year.
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“With all due respect, I think he’s a very good young player that I think has a fantastic future ahead of him. There needs to be a little bit more to get into the City team in terms of performances.”
90min understands that Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell was on City’s radar before signing a contract extension at Stamford Bridge, leaving Guardiola’s side forced to look elsewhere in their search for a new left-back.
Much will be decided by the future of Cancelo, whose loan to Bayern Munich comes with a €70m option to buy which the German side have already confirmed that plan to try and negotiate.
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