Hearts seal the deal for highly-rated 18-year-old keeper Stone
Hearts have announced the contract extension for highlyrated goalkeeper Harry Stone.
The new deal will keep the 18-year- old at the club until 2023. Stone recently joined League Two side Stirling Albion on loan and kept a clean sheet at the weekend in the 0-0 draw with title favourites Queen’s Park. Hearts have high hopes for the goalkeeper who has attracted interest from down south, including Premier League champions Liverpool, and Celtic.
At 6 ft 3 in, Stone, who has been at the club since 2015, already has a sizeable presence between the sticks.
He has had Scotland recognition at under-16 and under-17 level and featured for the club’s under -20 side in the C hallenge Cup last season. Stone was promoted to train with the first-team by Daniel Stendel during the previous campaign.
In August, Hearts boss Robbie Neilson revealed the plans for the goalkeeper.
“There is no doubt he is a good keeper so we will just try to progress him as quickly as we can,” he said. “We have Ross Stewart an dZ denekZl am al competing with Craig Gordon at first-team level just now.
“We see Harry coming in and being third-choice initially, then hopefully up to secondchoice and eventually firstchoice. He is still young so we will see how he develops. Getting Craig in is going to be great for Harry in the long term.”
Roger Arnott, Hearts’ youth academy manager, added. “We expect Harry to play in the first team. Not right now, but in the not-too-distant future. Some exposure will be good for him.”