Hearts hatch a plan to sign Livingston goalkeeper Ross Stewart

Hearts are keen to sign goalkeeper Ross Stewart permanently once his Livingston contract expired.

The 25-year-old’s contract at Livingston expires at the end of the season and he is therefore entitled to hold pre-contract talks with any interested club.

Having spent the last six-months on loan at Tynecastle Park, he is seen as ideal back up to Hearts’ established No.1 Craig Gordon.

Stewart played twice in the Betfred Cup earlier this season as the Edinburgh club beat Raith Rovers 3-1 in October and East Fife 3-2 in November.

Robbie Neilson, the Hearts manager, intends to hold discussions about a potential deal to keep hold of Stewart beyond the summer.

“It's something we are going to discuss with him,” Neilson confirmed to the Evening News. “He is a great boy to have about – a good character who has done really well as the back-up keeper. He gets on well with the rest of the boys.

“He is good with Craig, good with our goalie coach Paul Gallacher and good with young Harry Stone as well. I've been pleased with what he has brought to the club.

“We will look at that in the next month or two as Ross is obviously coming out of contract at Livingston.

“I will sit down with Joe Savage [Hearts’ sporting director] and Paul Gallacher and we will make a decision about what we do with him.

“I like him as a boy, he is a good age with good experience, so it's something we will potentially do.”

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