Uganda winger is heading to Scotland

Hearts and FK Vardar have agreed a deal for Rogers Mato to move to Tynecastle Park this month. The two clubs have been negotiating over the Uganda international winger and an agreement is now in place. Mato will head to Scotland as soon as possible, with Tynecastle officials now going through the paperwork process for his immigration.

Hearts and Mato agreed terms for a pre-contract earlier this month, much to Vardar’s anger, and they then tried to sell the player to MLS side Sporting Kansas City. That created both confusion and controversy, and Mato has been determined to move to Scotland since. He will now get his wish once a working visa is finalised.

After announcing the pre-contract deal, the Edinburgh club made a fresh approach to Vardar to sign Mato this month. The North Macedonian side were faced with the prospect of getting nothing for him if he left at the end of the season, or agreeing a deal now. Hearts had offered £300,000 earlier in the window but Vardar rejected that proposal.

The Tynecastle side were always keen to sign the 22-year-old in January to strengthen their squad for a Premiership title challenge. Mato was reluctant to return to Vardar for the second half of the season and remained at home in Uganda after playing for his country at the Africa Cup of Nations. He was upset by his club’s conduct after they published emails of negotiations with Sporting KC and revealed the player’s proposed salary in an attempt to force a transfer.

Sporting KC then confirmed they were no longer pursuing the player. They did put an offer forward but it predated the pre-contract agreement with Hearts. Mato was eager to head to Gorgie at the earliest opportunity. Hearts pushed to get a deal done as soon as possible and bring him in to strengthen their position at the top of the table. News of the Mato agreement comes on the back of Lawrence Shankland’s hamstring injury, which will sideline the Tynecastle captain for six to eight weeks.

Hearts did extensive scouting on the Ugandan internationalist over recent months and were impressed with his attacking attributes. A left-sided wide player, he is top scorer in the Macedonian First League with 12 goals. In all competitions so far this season, he has scored 15 times and claimed two assists from 17 appearances. His reputation is growing at a steady rate after he played in all three of Uganda’s matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring in the final group match against Nigeria as his country exited the tournament.

Mato favours the left flank but can also operate on the right or in a more central position. He is regarded as one of the most talented players to emerge from Uganda in recent years and already holds 41 international caps, scoring eight goals. He played for local sides Lweza, Maroons and Proline as a youth player before joining Kampala Capital City Authority FC in 2021. After a brief spell in Turkey with Sanliurfaspor, Mato headed to North Macedonia’s First League in February 2024 with Brera Strumica. Vardar, the country’s most successful club, signed him in January 2025.

Hearts have already signed the Dutch right-back Jordi Altena and Kazakhstani winger Islam Chesnokov since the winter transfer window opened on 1 January. They also announced a pre-contract agreement for the St Johnstone winger Josh McPake as well as Mato.