Heart of Midlothian

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New signing Tom Renaud scored as Hearts lost 2-1 to hosts Livingston in Friday evening's pre-season game.

All of the goals came in the first half of the match, which was a testimonial for long-serving Livi midfielder Scott Pittman.

Renaud struck for the visitors after Cammy Palmer and Tyrese Sinclair had headed goals for the hosts.

Harry Milne captained Wouter Vrancken's side, with summer recruits MJ Kamson-Kamara, Rogers Mato, Josh McPake and Calvin Miller all starting.

Teenage signing Cormac Daly was among a raft of substitutes that came on for the final 19 minutes, with Zander Clark taking over from Ryan Fulton in goal at half-time.

Forward Elton Kabangu and midfielder Sander Kartum also played the second half.

Both Clark and Kartum were loaned out by Hearts last season.

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Cammy Devlin is leaving Hearts as a free agent after failing to agree new terms.

The Australia midfielder, 28, moved to Tynecastle in August 2021 and made 176 appearances for the Edinburgh club.

He was a key player last season as Hearts pushed champions Celtic all the way in a title-race that was settled on the final day.

"Heart of Midlothian can confirm that Cammy Devlin will not be returning to the club," read a social media statement.

"Cammy was given a deadline by the club to commit to taking up the offer of a new deal, which he has failed to meet, and therefore leaves under freedom of contract."

Sydney-born Devlin was at the World Cup with Australia but did not feature in any of their four matches in Canada and the United States.

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Cammy Devlin has had positive talks with new Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken as the 28-year-old Australia midfielder weighs up accepting a new contract offer or moving on as a free agent. (Hearts Standard - subscription required, external)

Brazilian midfielder Ageu, 24, is eager to make an impact at Hearts after the club's record signing missing most of last season through injury. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required, external)

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Ipswich Town and Trabzonspor have joined Lyon in expressing an interest in 26-year-old Heart of Midlothian forward Claudio Braga. (Record via Scottish Sun, external)

Hearts have rekindled their interest in Forest Green Rovers defender Laurent Mendy and made a new move after having a bid for the 29-year-old Frenchman rejected in the January transfer window. (Pete O'Rourke on X, external)

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Scotland is in for another three-way title race this coming season, former Celtic captain Scott Brown has predicted.

Celtic retained the title on the final day of last season with a home win over Hearts to overtake the long-time leaders, with Rangers having slipped to third in the final weeks.

Since then, Hearts have lost head coach Derek McInnes to Rangers, replacing him with former Sint-Truiden boss Wouter Vrancken, while Celtic have given veteran Martin O'Neill the manager's job full-time after he did so well in interim charge.

"I think it's going to be a three-legged race yet again," Brown said, speaking at the Scottish Open golf pro-am.

"I think Hearts have been an actual delight for Scottish football. They've done really, really well. I thought Derek did a fantastic job and Martin's come in at the right point in time.

"If Martin was there for the whole time, Celtic win the league, nice and easy, but Del's went to Rangers now and he's a very, very good man-manager and he brings out the best of people.

"Looking at what he does and how he deals with his team, he'll bring in some more Scottish people, English-based people, that understand the club and the culture as well, which, to be fair, I think Celtic's done really well over the years."

Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken is relaxed about speculation surrounding forward Claudio Braga, 26. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required, external)

Malachi Fagan-Walcott, 24, had interest from English Championship and League One clubs before choosing to join Hearts. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Rogers Mato believes Hearts can go one better in season 2026-27 and win the Scottish Premiership. (Record, external)

Hearts midfielder Finlay Pollock, 22, sustained a hamstring injury on the club's pre-season training camp in Spain. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required, external)

Meanwhile, Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken wants talks over Australia midfielder Cammy Devlin, the 28-year-old who is out of contract after five years at Tynecastle. (Record, external)

Monday's Scottish gossip

Heart of Midlothian forward Sabri Guendouz says he rejected AZ Alkmaar, plus clubs in Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Belgium to sign for the Scottish Premiership club. (Edinburgh Evening News, external)

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign centre-back Alfie Osborne from Hearts, with the 17-year-old signing a long-term contract amid offers from clubs across Europe. (Fabrizio Romano on X, external)

Hearts will receive a six-figure compensation fee from Chelseafor 17-year-old defender Alfie Osborne. (Edinburgh Evening News, external)

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken plans talks with out-of-contract midfielder Cammy Devlin once the 28-year-old returns from World Cup duty with Australia amid interest from Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders. (Edinburgh Evening News, external)

Hearts are still waiting to hear what out-of-contract Craig Gordon plans to do following his return from the World Cup with Scotland, with head coach Wouter Vrancken saying it is the 43-year-old goalkeeper's decision whether to carry on or retire. (Hearts Standard, external)

Lyon are monitoring Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti in addition to holding discussions with Hearts over forward Claudio Braga. (Foot Mercato, external)

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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New Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken was delighted with a "good win" in his first pre-season friendly in charge considering opponents St Mirren were more than a week further into their preparations for the new season.

The Belgian described the 3-1 victory at their training camp in Spain as a "learning process" for both himself and his new charges.

"I learned a lot because it's the first time I saw the guys playing and doing the things we want to see," Vrancken told Hearts TV.

"You can have as many training sessions as you want - you have to feel it on the pitch in a real game.

"Also knowing that St Mirren have been in sessions for two weeks while we are five days, so physically it makes a difference.

"I saw some good actions, some good plays, tried to play football that I want to see and try to find the spaces.

"They are still thinking too much because they have to be comfortable after doing it a few times.

"We have to find the real flow again, but it's still a good win.

"Friendly or no friendly, you always have to try to win the games.

"So it was one learning process in the game, but most important is the minutes in the legs, the intentions they have and the good spirits they showed."

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Hearts have beaten Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren 3-1 in the Edinburgh side's first pre-season friendly under new head coach Wouter Vrancken.

It was St Mirren's second game since former caretaker Craig McLeish was given the job permanently, the Paisley side having beaten Championship team 4-2 on Saturday.

Midfielder Sander Kartum, forward Rogers Mato and James Wilson, the 19-year-old striker who was on loan to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season, scored Hearts' goals at their training camp in Spain.

St Mirren's goal came from 18-year-old substitute left-back Thomas Falconer.

Jacob Chapman, who signed earlier in the day from Huddersfield Town, started in goal for the Buddies along with two summer midfield signings - Samuel Ramos, previously of Zemplin Michalovce and Ryan Carr, who arrived from Ipswich Town).

Former Airdrieonians midfielder Chris Mochrie was among the substitutes.

Wilson started up front for Hearts along with Sabri Guendouz, the new signing from Beerschot, while MJ Kamson-Kamara, the defender signed from Lincoln City and midfielder Yan Dhanda, who has returned from his loan to Dundee, also started.

Former Versailles midfielder Tom Renaud, ex-St Johnstone winger Josh McPake and Calvin Miller, the winger signed from Falkirk, were among the substitutes.

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Ageu has promised he will soon be back in full training with Hearts after an injury-plagued first season at Tynecastle for the Brazilian midfielder.

The 24-year-old managed only seven appearances last season following his summer move from Santa Clara for a club record fee.

He has not played since suffering a thigh muscle injury, which required surgery, while making his first start against Rangers in February.

Speaking to Hearts TV at the Edinburgh club's Spanish training camp, Ageu said: "It's so good to be back on the pitch. It's good to be back doing exercises with the ball and soon I'll be back with the guys."

Ageu was signed after impressing on loan from Portuguese top-flight club Santa Clara as he helped second-tier Alverca win promotion with 11 goal contributions.

Having picked up hamstring injuries making his Hearts debut as a substitute against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership and then against Dundee United in November, he played little part in last season's title challenge under Derek McInnes.

Now Ageu has to impress a new head coach, Wouter Vrancken, but predicted: "This season is going to be good for everyone.

"Everything is new now. I am motivated for it and the challenge."

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Cormac Daly aims "to prove once again that I can handle coming to a massive club" after the 19-year-old winger signed for Hearts following his exit from Nottingham Forest.

The Scotland Under-18 cap, who has agreed a two-year contract, joined the Premier League club three years ago after coming through Hamilton Academical's youth system.

He could not break into the first team there or in his first loan spell with Lincoln City, but in the last six months of last season he played 24 times, scoring three times and contributing one assist, as Hereford finished 20th of 24 teams in National League North.

"I enjoyed my time at Nottingham Forest," Daly told Hearts' website. "It was three years of my life that went by fast, but being there, away from home, helped me to develop both on and off the pitch.

"Going out on loan was a big thing for me too in terms of being able to get a taste of senior football. I enjoyed it.

"Moving to England three years ago was a step up for me, but I'd like to think I proved I could handle it, so the challenge is now to prove once again that I can handle coming to a massive club like Hearts."

Asked what Hearts fans can expect from him, Daly added: "I'd say I'm direct, quick, just a bit of flair, just a really attacking winger really."

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New Hearts striker Amadou Ba-Sy will miss the club's pre-season camp in Spain due to illness.

The 25-year-old joined from French third-tier club FC Rouen this month but will stay in Scotland and continue some fitness work at Hearts' Oriam training base.

Despite suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, Craig Halkett is part of the travelling group which includes Hearts' six other new signings.

Last season's Premiership runners-up are in Spain for seven days of warm weather training under new head coach Wouter Vrancken.

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Hearts have confirmed new head coach Wouter Vrancken's backroom team, who will join the club's pre-season camp in Spain.

Belgian pair Tim Smolders and Cederique Tulleners will link up with the squad as Vrancken's assistant coaches.

Smolders was most recently assistant to Belgian manager Karel Geraerts at Stade Reims in Ligue 2 in France, having also worked with him at Schalke and Union Saint-Gilloise.

The 45-year-old featured for the likes of Club Brugge, Gent and Cercle Brugge as a player.

Tulleners, meanwhile, joins after a spell with Cercle Brugge's second team, having also coached Lithuania's under-21s and under-19s.

The 35-year-old also had spells in China and Saudi Arabia.

Hearts start their season away to Sturm Graz next month in Champions League qualifying.

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Celtic have added former Hearts coach Ross Grant to Martin O'Neill's coaching staff for the upcoming campaign.

Having already confirmed the return of Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham to O'Neill's backroom team, the club say Grant will have a particular focus on set piece analysis and coaching.

The lifelong Celtic fan joins the Scottish champions from last season's title rivals Hearts where he was an important part of their coaching team as they finished second in the top flight.

Manager Martin O'Neill told club media: "I am really pleased to welcome Ross to our backroom staff, I know he is a highly rated coach and look forward to working with him."

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Kazakhstan winger Islam Chesnokov has returned to his homeland to sign for former club Tobol on a permanent deal after just six months with Hearts.

The 26-year-old had signed a three-year contract with the Scottish Premiership club last summer after leaving Tobol.

Chesnokov had signed a pre-contract agreement with Hearts last summer, but they were made to wait until January for his arrival after the clubs failed to agree a transfer fee.

However, he made just 11 appearances for Hearts, six of them as a substitute, as the Edinburgh club fell just short of winning the Scottish title for the first time since 1960.

Chesnokov, who has 26 international caps, started his career with Altai Semey and had a spell in Belarus with Belshina Bobruisk before two years with Tobol, helping them win the Kazakhstan Cup in 2025.

We asked for your thoughts after Hearts confirmed the appointment of Wouter Vrancken as their new head coach.

Here's what some of you had to say:

John: After last season there's only one way to go, onwards and upwards!

Ken: Scotland's manager of the year replaced by Belgium's. I doubt we could have done much better than that.

SJ: If he's attack-minded, willing to use the entire squad and can make a substitution before the 88th minute then he's a big upgrade.

Bill: Seems ideal. Good track record, but less than a month for a crucial Champions League game. Wish him and the staff well.

Ross: Looking forward to this new era at Hearts. Wouter sounds like a great fit for us and I can't wait to see what he brings.

Neil: Looks a very interesting appointment, clearly has something to offer! Expectations are high with the Hearts supporters, another season like the last one and possibly a cup win would be great.

David: I am delighted with this appointment and can't wait to see how he does. Like many people I had never heard of him, but he seems a perfect fit for us. Exciting times and I am way more optimistic now than I was two weeks ago. Buckle your seats, it's going to be an exciting ride. Onwards and upwards.

Bruce: Sounds like an interesting appointment, definitely not a boring one by all accounts! Seems to fit the Hearts 'mould' of exciting and attacking play. Good!

Bob: Hope he's up to scratch and gets the supporters on side.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Sporting director Graeme Jones outlined why analytics was crucial in identifying Hearts' new head coach Wouter Vrancken quickly.

The 47-year-old Belgian takes charge at Tynecastle just over a week after Derek McInnes departed for Rangers.

"We obviously have the support of the analytics side to flag up the best candidates, but Wouter was definitely a standout within that," Jones said.

"It's the same way it works with players. They give us clarity as to what decision making needs to be. And then from there, it's up to us to make sure the human process comes out on top."

Jones had an online meeting with Vrancken before a face-to-face, full-day interview in London last week as Hearts aimed to get their new head coach in before players get back to work.

"The main thing for me was that when we had to start pre-season training tomorrow, that we would have our new head coach in," he said.

"So, it was just as clean and as thorough a process as we could go through."