Hearts talent completes transfer move as he joins growing past and present Jambos contingent at rival
He will be amongst several familiar faces to Hearts fans after completing his transfer move.
A Hearts talent has joined a number of familiar Jambos faces by making a move to Livingston.
David Martindale’s side are back in the Premiership after promotion via the play-offs last season. They have already signed Hearts midfielder Macaulay Tait on a season long loan deal and have now added another Jambos prospect to the engine room in Aidan Denholm, who also joins on a three year deal ahead of the 25/26 Premiership season.
Denholm has featured 25 times for Hearts at senior level and a loan spell at Ross County in the top flight was cut short last term due to injury. Now he is heading to West Lothian for senior exposure, where 2012 Scottish Cup winner Ryan McGowan will be a teammate. Other former Hearts players in the team include Robbie Muirhead, Jack Hamilton and Danny Wilson, who all contributed to Livi’s promotion.
Hearts transfer exit verdict
A statement from Hearts reads: “Aidan Denholm has left Hearts to join Livingston. The midfielder makes the move to the West Lothian side on a permanent basis. 21-year-old Aidan came through the Hearts Academy and made his first team debut in 2021. He went on to gain competitive experience on loan at Berwick Rangers and East Fife, and then latterly at Ross County.
“Aidan enjoyed a prolonged spell in the Jambos’ first team in season 2023/24 when he made 24 appearances in maroon, before spending last year in Dingwall in a loan spell that was cut short by injury. He’ll now continue his career at fellow Premiership side Livingston, and everyone at Hearts thanks Aidan for his time at the club and wishes him all the best for the future.”
Why Livingston have signed Aidan Denholm
Livingston said: “We’re delighted to announce the signing of Aidan Denholm from Heart of Midlothian on a 3-year deal. The 21 year-old central midfielder joins from the capital side, and will wear the number 6 for the Lions. Having joined the Jambos’ academy at the age of eight, Aidan made his professional debut in 2021 in a 3-0 win over Cove Rangers. He joined Berwick Rangers on loan in the Lowland League for his first taste of regular senior football, before returning to Gorgie. His development continued the following year, joining East Fife in January 2023 and helping push the Fifers into the promotion play-off spots come season-end.
“That summer proved to be the West Lothian native’s breakthrough into top level football. He made his continental debut, coming on against Rosenborg in the UEFA Conference League, in early August, before making his Premiership debut against Kilmarnock three days later. In his first full season, he featured 22 times and established himself as a regular in a Hearts squad which ended the season in third place, with his forming earning him a call up to the Scotland U21 squad.
“After initially joining Ross County on loan last summer for the 2024-25 campaign, injury saw his season cut short as he returned to Tynecastle in January. He now makes the permanent move to the Home of the Set Fare Arena where he links up with former Hearts teammate Macaulay Tait in the squad.”