Breaking: Hearts closing in on new signing after Gerald Taylor’s deal
Hearts are close to signing a new right-back, with the Jambos once again targeting the Costa Rican market.
According to reports from Central America, Gerald Taylor, a 23-year-old defender who now plays for Saprissa in his home country, will join Hearts in the coming days. Tynecastle has been keeping a close eye on the Costa Rican league, having bought forward Kenneth Vargas from CS Herediano last year. The club is now looking for a new right-back and has made a move for Taylor.
According to The Scotsman, Taylor is in advanced talks with European football clubs to finalize his future before the Copa America begins later this month. Taylor is part of the Costa Rica group that will face Colombia, Paraguay, and Brazil in the month-long tournament in the United States, which begins on Tuesday, June 25.
Hearts are lacking at right-back, with Australian international Nathaniel Atkinson the sole established senior option. Head coach Steven Naismith wants to have more depth in that area and has identified Taylor as a strong option to compete with Atkinson in that role. The former Uruguay de Coronado is known for his athleticism and mobility, and he has five caps for his country, scoring once. He helped Saprissa win the Liga Promerica in 2023.
Hearts will want to arrange a deal similar to the one that worked well for Vargas from Herediano last season, with Taylor coming in on a loan with the option to buy for a six-figure cost.
After coming third in the cinch Premiership last season and securing European group-stage football in 2024/25, Naismith has been eager to model his squad early. Pre-contract agreements have been reached with playmakers Blair Spittal and Yan Dhanda, as well as left-sided defender James Penrice and goalkeeper Ryan Fulton. Hearts are anticipated to sign one more player soon, in addition to Taylor and the four pre-contract players.
“We are in the market for a couple of positions,” said Naismith, who is now on vacation. “These things are moving on.”I anticipate that by the time we return, there will be a couple in and out. Six is approximately the number we are looking at. Beyond that, if someone departs the organization and we believe they should be replaced, we will do so. Given where we are with the roster right now, we are unlikely to recruit many more players. We are content with it.
“We’ve worked hard since January to find players and close deals to get them into the building. That is where we are. We may have reached a position where we are making signings without feeling the pressure to come in and strike the ground running. Some will undoubtedly come in and do so, doing well during preseason, but there is little expectation in many of the positions we have signed. That gives them some comfort because they don’t have to worry about missing out on an opportunity.”
Speaking to the Evening News, Naismith added: “We will then be reactive to anything that happens, whether players move on, whether somebody is interested and the deal is right, then we will be reactive to replacing anybody we feel we need to.”
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