Hearts Secure Oisin McEntee in Pre-Contract Deal
Republic of Ireland international Oisin McEntee has become the latest addition to Hearts’ summer recruitment drive, signing a three-year pre-contract deal ahead of his exit from English League Two side Walsall.
The 24-year-old midfielder, who can also feature in central defence or at right-back, was identified by new Tynecastle boss Derek McInnes as a key target. He will officially join up with the Edinburgh club for pre-season at Riccarton next month. Standing at 6ft 3ins, McEntee arrives as a free agent and becomes the fourth permanent signing for Hearts this summer, following Christian Borchgrevink, Alexandros Kyziridis, and Elton Kabangu.
McEntee, born in New York and capped by Ireland at every youth level from U17 to U21, progressed through the Newcastle United academy and captained their youth sides. He gained experience in Scotland during a loan spell with Greenock Morton in the 2021/22 season before joining Walsall permanently.
This past season, McEntee made 37 appearances for the Saddlers, helping them reach the League Two play-off final at Wembley, where they narrowly lost 1–0 to AFC Wimbledon. That final marked his last appearance for the club. Hearts’ analytics partner, Jamestown Analytics, supported his signing after strong recommendations from McInnes.
Speaking on the deal, McInnes said: “I’m delighted we’ve secured Oisin. From our conversations, it’s clear he’s driven, eager to improve, and excited to be part of what we’re building at Hearts. His versatility is a real asset—he can play in midfield or across the backline. He’s got a solid footballing education and experience in both England and Scotland, which will help him settle in quickly.”
Hearts are continuing to work on further signings this window. Talks are ongoing to bring Kazakhstan winger Islam Chesnokov to Edinburgh, while the club also prioritises signing another striker and potentially another midfielder.
In a club statement, Hearts said: “Heart of Midlothian is pleased to announce the pre-contract signing of Oisin McEntee. The Republic of Ireland youth international will officially join the club this summer on a three-year deal following the expiry of his contract with Walsall.
“A product of Newcastle United’s academy, McEntee captained their U18s and U23s, featuring prominently in youth tournaments including the Super Cup NI and FA Youth Cup. After signing a new deal with Newcastle in 2021, he gained valuable Scottish football experience with Greenock Morton, where he made 28 appearances.
“Following his move to Walsall, he featured 79 times across three seasons and played a key role in the club’s promotion challenge this year. Now, Oisin will continue his career at Tynecastle, where he will join up with Derek McInnes’ squad until the summer of 2028.”
