Fourth Hearts transfer done with the club working on more deals

Oisin McEntee has agreed a pre-contract move to Hearts as his deal nears expiry at English League Two club Walsall. He has signed a three-year contract after being identified by the new Tynecastle head coach Derek McInnes, and will now report to Riccarton for pre-season training next month.

McEntee, 24, stands 6ft 3ins tall and arrives as a free agent. He is a versatile central midfielder who can also operate at centre-back and right-back. He is Hearts’ fourth permanent recruit this summer after Norwegian right-back Christian Borchgrevink, Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis and Belgian striker Elton Kabangu.

Born in New York, USA, McEntee is a Republic of Ireland youth internationalist at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 level. He is expected to win senior caps in future. He came through the Newcastle United youth system and has previous experience of Scottish football hving played on loan at Greenock Morton during season 2021/22. He joined Walsall permanently at the end of that campaign.

This season, McEntee played 37 times as Walsall reached Monday’s League Two play-off final at Wembley, which they lost 1-0 to AFC Wimbledon. That match was the Irishman’s last appearance for the club. He was admired for some time by McInnes and has been approved by Hearts’ recruitment data partner Jamestown Analytics for a move to Edinburgh.

“It’s great that we’ve been able to get this deal done and we can now welcome Oisin to the club,” McInnes told the club’s official website. “It became clear in our conversations that Oisin is hungry, he wants to learn and improve, and he wants to be part of what we’re trying to do here at Hearts.

“He’s a ball player whilst being physically imposing, and an extremely versatile player. He’s played in defence and midfield, so to have options around his positioning is a big plus. Oisin’s gained a lot of experience down south and he has knowledge of Scottish football too, which is a bonus, and I’m sure he’ll fit in well to the squad we’re building.”

Hearts transfers: More deals being done at Tynecastle

Tynecastle officials are currently working on more transfer deals. Moves to bring the Kazakhstan international winger Islam Chesnokov to Scotland are progressing, and the Edinburgh News revealed on Thursday that a new striker is also a priority. Signing another midfielder has also been discussed.

Hearts issued a statement confirming McEntee’s impending arrival. It read: “Heart of Midlothian is delighted to announce the pre-contract signing of Oisin McEntee who will join the club on a three-year deal this summer, on the expiry of his contract with League Two outfit Walsall. The Republic of Ireland youth internationalist becomes the Jambos’ fourth summer signing, following in the footsteps of Christian Borchgrevink, Alexandros Kyziridis and Elton Kabangu.

“A product of the Newcastle United Academy since the age of 16, the central midfielder captained United at U18s and U23s level. During his five-year spell with the Magpies, McEntee reached the last four of the Super Cup NI in 2017 and the last eight of the FA Youth Cup in the same campaign. Oisin penned a new contract at St James’ Park in the summer of 2021 before heading north to Cappielow, where he experienced his first taste of Scottish football, in a season long loan at Greenock Morton.

“The 24-year-old featured 28 times for ‘Ton, notching his only goal in blue and white in a 1-0 victory over Partick Thistle at Firhill in February 2022. McEntee departed Tyneside that summer to join English League Two side Walsall on a two-year contract.

“He would go on to make 79 appearances for The Saddlers across three campaigns, scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-1 win over Salford in September 2023. Having predominantly featured in midfield, Oisin enjoyed a spell in a back three under Walsall manager Mat Sadler and was influential in their promotion push, making his final appearance for the club in Monday’s playoff final at Wembley.

“As well as his successes at club level, McEntee has been capped for the Republic of Ireland at youth level from U17s through to European Qualifiers at U21 level in 2023. Now Oisin will call Gorgie his home as he makes the move to Tynecastle, to team up with Derek McInnes’ side on a deal until the summer of 2028.”

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