Former Hearts star makes free agent transfer move after becoming new club's 'number one priority'

Former Hearts defender Taylor Moore has joined FK Kosice after the Slovakian side made him a ‘number one’ transfer priority.

The 29-year old previously of Bristol City left EFL League Two side Bristol Rovers two weeks ago by mutual consent and was left without a club. Kosice Sporting Director Terry Westley has now taken advantage of his free agent status as they sign him ‘without having to pay a transfer fee’.

Moore spent the 2021/22 Premiership season on loan at Hearts from current English Championship side Bristol City. After making 23 appearances for the Tynecastle club, he was farmed out again to Shrewsbury Town before leaving for French second tier side Valenciennes. He returned to the other half of Bristol in 2024 but slowly fell down the selection pecking order under Scottish boss Steve Evans and in turn left the club on August 21.

Defender made 23 Hearts appearances. | SNS Group

What have FK Kosice said about signing Moore?

Upon signing the former England youth international, Westley said: “When Taylor agreed with his previous club to terminate his contract, he very quickly became our number one priority. At this stage of the transfer period, it is extremely difficult to acquire a player of his qualities and experience without having to pay a transfer fee. We are all the more pleased that we managed to successfully secure his arrival without a transfer fee.

“Taylor knows how to correctly assess when it is appropriate to work constructively with the ball and get involved in the passing game, but at the same time he knows when it is necessary to defend above all. He has excellent leadership skills and fits very well into our ideas and expectations on and off the pitch.

"Finally, I would like to thank the club's board of directors for the support they provided to me and the entire team in making this arrival happen. Special thanks go to Roman Šimka for the extraordinary effort he made on Friday to ensure that we received the international transfer certificate on time. It was a real team effort by the board of directors, the coach and all members of the A-team implementation team, thanks to which we managed to successfully conclude Taylor's arrival."

Moore fell out of favour at Bristol Rovers. | Getty Images

Moore sends Rovers heartfelt farewell message

Kosice are hoping the experience of Moore can help them improve on their seventh place finish in the Nike League last season. The central defender has accrued over 350 appearances during his 12-year playing career - 64 of which were at Rovers. After leaving the Pirates last month, he took to Instagram to thank everyone involved with the club.

His post was captioned: “Thank you, Bristol Rovers. Thank you to the club for the past two years. I leave with some great memories, a rescue dog, some friendships for life as well as some tough experiences and life lessons that will always stay with me. I’m especially proud of the work carried out with the Community Trust and the amazing, selfless people who dedicate themselves to making the club & the community a better place in a city I have called home for many years. Thank you to everyone at the club for the journey. I wish Bristol Rovers nothing but the very best for the future.”