The former Hearts academy prospect could be close to securing a move to the Scottish Championship side.

Raith Rovers manager Barry Robson is running the rule over a former Hearts prospect as they prepare for the new Championship season.

The Stark’s Park outfit got their pre-season schedule underway at the weekend as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Lowland League club Linlithgow Rose despite Lewis Vaughan putting Robson’s men in front at Prestonfield. With Rovers making a raft of substitutes in the final half hour of the contest, the hosts hit back to claim a win with goals from Harry McMartin and Louis Maguire.

According to The Courier, Robson took an opportunity to assess former Hearts youngster Ethan Drysdale as the defender looks to find a new club following his release last month. The 19-year-old failed to make a first-team appearance during his time at Tynecastle but was a regular for the Jambos’ B team and spent the second half of last season on loan at Partick Thistle in a deal that took Harry Milne to Hearts. However, an injury prevented Drysdale from making an appearance for the Championship club and he returned to Hearts just weeks before his release was confirmed.

The young defender is said to have been training with Raith since leaving Hearts and featured for over half an hour in Saturday’s defeat against Linlithgow. The Courier also reports Drysdale will get another chance to impress Robson when his side host League One club Alloa Athletic in their latest pre-season friendly on Tuesday night.

The Championship outfit have already signed defender Jai Rowe, midfielder Richard Chin and goalkeepers Josh Rae and Aidan Glavin during the summer as they look to move on from the disappointment of missing out on a play-off place in the second tier last season.

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