Daniel Oyegoke is nearing an exit from Tynecastle

Italian club Hellas Vernona have agreed a six-figure transfer fee with Hearts for Daniel Oyegoke. The defender is also being pursued by Verona’s Serie A rivals Lecce as he nears an exit after only seven months at Tynecastle Park.

He arrived from English Premier League side Brentford last June, with Hearts paying a moderate six-figure fee to sign him on a three-year contract. The Edinburgh club now stand to make a healthy profit on that investment as they prepare to sell Oyegoke.

Verona are pushing to close the deal as quickly as possible given the interest from Lecce, and Oyegoke is due to fly to Italy today. Both teams are fighting relegation from Serie A and are in the market for a right-sided defender. Oyegoke is available as Hearts have Gerald Taylor fit again alongside youngster Adam Forrester in the right-back department.

Oyegoke made 26 appearances for Hearts in total, scoring once against St Mirren last October. He was left in the stand to watch Saturday’s 3-2 Premiership win over Kilmarnock with talks over his transfer at an advanced stage. He is now poised to complete a move to Italy in the next few days.

With Liam Boyce gone to Derry City and Kye Rowles sold to DC United in a £600,000 deal, Oyegoke would be the third permanent departure from the Hearts first-team squad this month. One or two others may follow before the January transfer window closes on 3 February.