John Dodds Set for Everton Switch as Hearts and Toffees Near Agreement
Teenage Hearts defender John Dodds is on the verge of leaving Edinburgh for Merseyside this summer, with Everton closing in on a deal for the highly-rated 16-year-old. A standout at the Riccarton youth academy, Dodds has attracted interest from several clubs across Scotland and England thanks to his growing reputation.
With Hearts and Everton in advanced discussions over a transfer, the promising centre-back is expected to make the move south and join the Premier League club’s Under-18 side for the 2025/26 season—pending completion of the necessary paperwork. Dodds has yet to feature for the Hearts first team but is seen as a strong prospect for the future.
Everton boss David Moyes is looking to leverage his Scottish connections and sees Dodds as a talent worth nurturing. The move continues a trend of young players emerging from Hearts’ academy, which has produced names like Finlay Pollock, Macaulay Tait, Aidan Denholm, Adam Forrester, and James Wilson in recent years. Forrester recently received his first Scotland U21 call-up, while Wilson made headlines by becoming the youngest senior international in Scottish history during a Nations League tie against Greece.
Hearts remain committed to developing homegrown talent, aiming to blend youth with experience in their squad. Past success stories such as Callum Paterson, Sam Nicholson, Jamie Walker, and Ryan McGowan exemplify the club’s model of turning academy products into valuable first-team assets.
Manager Neil Critchley emphasized the importance of the upcoming pre-season for Hearts’ youth players, especially those returning from loan spells like Callum Sandilands, Liam McFarlane, and Harry Stone. He highlighted the unpredictable nature of player development but praised James Wilson and Adam Forrester for their progress so far.
“The biggest challenge is always making that leap into senior football,” said Critchley. “You only really know how a player will handle it once they’re given the chance, and I believe James and Adam are more than ready. We’ll be watching closely during pre-season and doing what’s best for both the players and the club.”
