Steven Pressley says Aaron Hickey is giving everything to reach Euro 2024

Aaron Hickey is making good progress in his return from injury and is determined to “give it a real go” to be fit to join the Scotland squad for Euro 2024, according to Steven Pressley.

Pressley, who is head of player development at Hickey’s club Brentford, revealed that he has had talks with the full-back and has seen that he is determined to give everything to make Steve Clarke’s squad.

Hickey has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury against Chelsea in October and his club manager Thomas Frank has expressed doubts that Hickey will play again before the end of the Premier League season.

The 21-year-old, who has 14 Scotland caps, would be a certainty for Steve Clarke’s squad if fully fit. With Everton right-back Nathan Patterson picking up an injury on Monday and there being uncertainty about his recovery, positive news on Hickey would be welcomed by Clarke.

“I had a cup of coffee in the canteen with him and he said he’s going to give this a real go – he’s making good progress,” said former centre-back Pressley.

“I said to him, ‘Aaron, my advice is this; from my own career, one of the lessons I learned is that when you’re a young player and opportunities like this arise, you always think there’s going to be plenty more in your career’.

“Landscapes change very quickly and careers change very quickly and this might be your only opportunity to play in a major tournament’.

“Now I hope for Scotland and for Aaron Hickey it’s one of many, but you just never know.

“I really hope – with recent news about Patterson as well – it would be a big plus for Scotland (if he was fit) because Aaron really is an outstanding player.

“He is a player I think could go on to the next level. I think he could play at the top.”

The Premier League season ends on May 19 but Clarke doesn’t have to submit his final Scotland squad until June 7.

The national team boss will name a group of players well in advance of the tournament, where Scotland face Germany, Hungary and Switzerland in the group stage.

Friendlies have been lined up against Gibraltar in Faro on June 3 and Finland at Hampden four days later.