According to a report in The Daily Mail, Crystal Palace are monitoring highly-rated Hearts left-back Aaron Hickey, which could send an interesting message to Eagles prospect Tyrick Mitchell.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Daily Mail says that the south London outfit are tracking the 17-year-old but are yet to make a bid for the player whose contract at Tynecastle is due to expire in the summer of 2021.

However, the report adds that the Scottish Premiership strugglers could get a much-needed financial lifeline if they can agree a fee with potential suitors for the teenager now, with the current situation in the United Kingdom.

The Daily Mail say that while Palace are best placed to sign Hickey, Manchester City, Everton, Southampton and Celtic have also watched him in action.

Message to Tyrick Mitchell

Having impressed during 2019 pre-season and gained praise from Crystal Palace supporters on Twitter, it looked as though it could be a potential breakthrough campaign for the now 20-year-old when it came to potentially making his senior Eagles debut.

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However, despite being included in the matchday 18 on two occasions in the Premier League this term, he is still yet to get on the pitch under the former England manager.

Indeed, after the Brighton and Hove Albion match in which he was an unused substitute despite being the only natural left-back available, The Athletic's Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam said: "Mitchell should have started against Brighton given the concerns over Riedewald’s fitness, or at least been his replacement at half-time instead of McCarthy."

Mitchell extended his contract with the Eagles in January 2019, and will surely be hoping to seriously push Patrick van Aanholt for his first-team spot in SE25 sooner rather than later having been largely ignored by Hodgson in recent months.

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However, the club's interest in a player three years his junior is certainly intriguing, given he has made 34 first-team appearances for Hearts and is therefore more experienced when it comes to senior football.

Palace’s keen interest in Hickey and potential addition of him would surely be to push van Aanholt for his spot, and you have to wonder where that would leave Mitchell.

In other Crystal Palace news, loads of Eagles fans have reacted to an update on a former Selhurst Park hero, with one supporter demanding "get this man back to the club immediately"...