Former Hearts star joins Jambos in Champions League next season as another ex-ace eyes Europe's top table
There’s one former Hearts star headed for the Champions League and another has an objective surrounding it.
A former Hearts star is set to join the Jambos in the Champions League next season - as another ex-ace eyes his place at Europe’s top table.
James Penrice swapped Gorgie for AEK Athens last summer and was part of the squad that won the Greek Super League through a 2-1 win over Panathinaikos on Sunday. That comes with a Champions League play-off spot at the start of next season and ex-Jambo James Hill, meanwhile, has been a mainstay in 2026 for Bournemouth as they also seek the biggest club competition in Europe.
They can still qualify for any of UEFA’s three competitions after a 1-0 win versus Fulham but the Champions League is unlocked if they finish sixth in the Premier League and Aston Villa sit one place above them while winning the Europa League. Hearts are eyeing the Premiership title and the play-off spot that’d come with it, however, they’re guaranteed a top two finish which at least which comes with UCL entry at the second qualifying round.
How has James Penrice fared at AEK Athens
Penrice enjoyed a strong debut season at Tynecastle after moving from Livingston, and was sold for seven figures, having initially arrived on a pre-contract. The 27-year-old has made 32 appearances overall for the Greek side who now are a couple of games away from the league phase that’d bring matches against Europe’s elite.
Boss Marko Nikolic said after the win over Panathinaikos: "My players deserved to be champions. Eight points difference with two games to go. It's amazing. I want to say a big thank you to the staff and personnel. I dedicate the championship to these amazing fans. It was unique.”
In Bournemouth, centre-back Hill has transformed from being out of matchday squads in November, to playing every minute of a joyous 16-game unbeaten run. The defender who spent part of 2023 on loan at Hearts from the Cherries insists there is no cap on what Andoni Iraola’s men can achieve in their final two games against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
Will Bournemouth play in the Champions League?
Hill said: "Any type of Europe is fantastic but we have to focus on ourselves. The more points we get, the better opportunity we've got of receiving something really nice at the end of the season.
"Then how everything plays out is up to other teams. At the start of the season, everyone was saying that we'd lost a lot of players, but the lads that have stayed and the new additions that have come in, it's absolutely incredible to see.
“The sky's the limit for this team, and we just need to keep pushing and keep believing. It's all about us now. We have just got to keep focusing on that next game."
The Scottish Football Social Club is presented by BetSBK.com | 18+ | Gamble Responsibly