Kye Rowles has committed his long-term future to Hearts.
The Australian defender has signed a new five-year contract with the Premiership club.
The 24-year-old has been a standout in Robbie Neilson's side since his summer move from A-League side Central Coast Mariners.
He received international recognition for his impressive performances too, playing for the Socceroos at the World Cup.
With Rowles playing this term, the Jambos have only lost twice in the 13 domestic games he has featured in.
Neilson said: “It’s fantastic news that Kye has signed a long-term deal with the club.
“He’s made a big impact in a very short space of time, so to know that he’s going to be here – improving day by day – for years to come is massive for us.
“He’s proved his quality in a Hearts shirt week in, week out and also on the biggest stage of them all at the World Cup, so to have that kind of talent at the club is huge.
“I know Kye wants to be here to better himself and that’s our goal; to make him and the team the best it can be.”
Echoing the manager’s comments, Joe said: “People’s focus may be on ins and outs during the transfer window but just as important for us is keeping our best players here, and today we’ve managed to do that.
“There was, understandably, interest in Kye after his showing at the World Cup but our intention was always to retain him and talks were very straightforward.
“He’s appreciative of what he’s got here at Hearts and, crucially, what he could have as we look to progress this club even further forward.”
At The Herald and Times we know the importance of reaching you where it's convenient, which is why we've engaged top sportswriter James Morgan to bring you an irreverent daily update on what's happening in the world of sport. Be it football, golf, rugby, cricket or something more exotic, James will tread where the best stories take him. To get this bespoke piece sent directly to your email inbox for free every day at 5pm, simply take 5 seconds to type in your email here. It's that simple!
