Hearts' exit, new transfer plan and Ally McCoist's Rangers and Celtic warning

Hearts are expected to sanction their first exit of the month imminently with defender Kye Rowles closing in on a move to DC United. The MLS outfit are close to finalising a £600,000 move for the Australian, who will soon call time on his two-and-a-half-year spell at Tynecastle Park.

Rowles has remained a regular first-team starter at Hearts this season as the only outfielder to play every Scottish Premiership minute - the only other squad member to do so is goalkeeper Craig Gordon. But a summer move for his replacement, Rotherham United’s Jamie McCart has already been lined up through the agreement of a pre-contract deal.

Tynecastle chiefs are looking to accelerate that deal in order to welcome McCart up north before Rowles heads across the Atlantic Ocean, with DC United keen to have the defender on board before kicking off their 2025 MLS campaign against Toronto on February 23. Hearts will receive an up-front fee for their defender and are also expected to insert a sell-on clause into the deal.

Left-back plans

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley will look within his current crop for left-back cover, following the decision to send Andrés Salazar back to parent club Atletico Nacional earlier this month. Salazar made just one appearance for his loan club but was unable to usurp the ever-present James Penrice.

A fresh-faced full-back has not been ruled out this month but priorities currently lie elsewhere, with a busy month expected at Tynecastle Park. Instead, Critchley will make the best of what he has, with natural right-back Gerald Taylor an option - but the Hearts boss also has an eye on 19-year-old prospect Ethan Drysdale.

“I didn't mention young Ethan Drysdale who's just returned from injury, a longer-term injury from the summer,” the Hearts boss added. “He's someone we've got hopes for. We hope he can go on the pathway that Adam Forrester has been on. But Ethan's only just returned, he's played half an hour and 45 minutes in the B team, he'll play again for the B team on Friday night. He's a lefty, so hopefully in the next few weeks he can start to train with the first team on a more regular basis, build his minutes and he might appear at some point.”

McCoist on McGregor

Ally McCoist has criticised the performance of ‘really quiet’ Callum McGregor during Celtic’s 3-0 defeat at Rangers on Thursday. The Hoops captain barely had a sniff at Ibrox as his side were well-beaten, with the only notable moment being a minor scuffle with opposite skipper Nicolas Raskin shortly before half-time.

"The one thing I would say in the last few games is that Callum McGregor has been really, really quiet,” McCoist told talkSPORT. “It looks like he's had his card marked a little bit when they're out of possession, they just put someone on him and he's finding it a lot more difficult to get on the ball.

"You know, we need to get the fans back into the stadiums. And did you know Rangers starting line-up had 11 different nationalities. Incredible. But I was delighted for Philippe Clement. I think it was his first victory against Celtic in seven attempts. And Brendan's record games is absolutely remarkable.”