Hearts have completed the signing of former Hull City left back Stephen Kingsley on a one-year deal.
The former Scotland Under 21 international has been a free agent since leaving the Tigers earlier this year and had been training with formative club Falkirk.
Robbie Neilson has been keen to add the 26-year-old for several weeks, but an initial move to Tynecastle was turned down as Kingsley kept his options open.
The Hearts boss said yesterday that players would have to be moved on in order to bring any more in, and while winger Anthony McDonald departed for Spain, it remained to be seen whether there was room to manoeuvre in the budget to make the deal happen.
However, the Jambos made their move after the transfer deadline closed at midnight and have snapped up the ex-Swansea man on a contract until the end of this season.
That leaves the Jambos with three left backs on the books in Kingsley, Ben Garuccio and Aidy White, although the latter is out injured with a back problem.
Kingsley goes into the squad for tonight’s Betfred Cup game against Inverness and could make his debut.
The defender began his career at Falkirk, making 100 appearances for the Bairns after being handed his debut at 16.
He then made the move to then-English Premier League club Swansea City, where he spent three years before moving on to Hull in 2017.
