Hearts and Manchester City are seemingly building a positive relationship, so could that allow the Jambos to get their hands on some City talent?
Hearts owner Ann Budge has recently spoken about building a relationship with the English champions, with Etihad prospect Ryotaro Meshino supposedly set to sign for the Tynecastle side on loan before the weekend (Edinburgh Live).
Aaron Hickey is one Jambos youngster linked with a switch the other way (The Scottish Sun). A positive relationship could mean that Hearts is a place where City stars of the future go to develop.
With the Gorgie club’s recent track record of promoting youth stars to the first-team, it’s not hard to see why Pep Guardiola’s side find this proposition tempting.
Here are three City youngsters who would be a good fit for the Jambos.
Lorenzo Gonzalez
Since moving to the Etihad in 2016 from his native Switzerland, Gonzalez hasn’t had the chance to prove himself at senior level.
Whilst Hearts have an abundance of forwards at the club, it’s only really Steven Naismith and Conor Washington who look like reliable sources of goals. Gonzalez would add some needed strikes to the forward line.
In his youth career he has netted 26 times in 60 games with eight assists (Transfermarkt). He isn’t anywhere near the first-team and Tynecastle would be a good place for him to develop.
Morgan Rogers
He only recently joined City, but Rogers is definitely one for the future at the Etihad. They recently signed him from West Brom in a deal worth in excess of £4 million (Telegraph).
Getting first-team football at his age would be brilliant and Hearts are the perfect club for that to happen. Jambo youngsters like Hickey, Harry Cochrane and Connor Smith have all featured for Hearts at that age.
Plus he is a winger capable of playing on both sides. Jamie Walker was recently ruled out until December with injury, leaving them one man short in that area.
Roberts would be a decent replacement. He is obviously very raw, but his pace and enthusiasm for the game could make him an excellent short-term signing.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru
The 18-year-old Nigerian is a midfielder at City. His main source of action has been with their U18s squad, but now he has made the jump to the U23s (Transfermarkt).
Dele-Bashiru isn’t anywhere near the first-team either, so some games at senior level might help him out.
With the likes of former Premier League veteran Glenn Whelan now in the Jambos midfield, the Nigerian could pick up some useful pointers if he made a Gorgie switch.