Hearts announce Christmas Day ‘statement of intent’ deal - with more to follow
Key defender extends stay at Tynecastle until 2028
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes says tying up key defender Craig Halkett on a new contract is a “statement of intent” from the Premiership leaders.
Halkett, 30, has extended his stay at Tynecastle until the summer of 2028. The centre-half joined Hearts in 2019 and has made 159 appearances for the club.Some of his time in Gorgie has been blighted by injury, but this season he has formed a formidable partnership with Stuart Findlay in the middle of Hearts’ defence.
Halkett has played 18 games this season for Hearts and is set to return from a small knock tomorrow for an Edinburgh derby clash with Hibs. He scored the winning goal against the Jam Tarts’ capital rivals earlier in the season at Tynecastle.
“It’s great to get Craig secured on a longer-term deal,” said McInnes after the contract extension was announced on Christmas Day. “I’ve been working with him closely now over the last six months and he’s exactly the type of player that I knew he would be and can be.
“I’m delighted that we’re going to continue this work together, and I think it’s a good statement of intent from the club to secure someone who is so important to us going forward.”
As well as securing the long-term future of current players, Hearts have also been working on new signings for the January transfer window.
Kazakh winger Islam Chesnokov has agreed a pre-contract deal after leaving FC Tobol in his homeland and could be in the squad for the match against Livingston on January 3, while RKC Waalwjik right-back Jordi Altena is closing in on a transfer for a fee believed to be in the region of £500,000.
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