Hearts confirm Alan Forrest signing as Robbie Neilson explains what Livingston winger will bring

Hearts have confirmed the signing of winger Alan Forrest from Livingston.

The 25-year-old turned down a rival offer from Dundee United and will join the Tynecastle club on June 10 when his Livingston contract expires, bringing an end to his two-year spell with the West Lothian club.

Forrest, the younger brother of Celtic winger James, registered seven goals and four assists in 41 appearances last season as the Lions consolidated their Scottish Premiership status with an impressive seventh-placed finish.

He spent seven years with Ayr United before moving to the Tony Macaroni Arena in 2020.

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson said: “We're delighted to get Alan on board. We watched his performances for Livingston last season and were really impressed. His development over the last 18 months has been excellent, and we knew we wanted him pretty quickly.

"He's quick, direct, and will offer a real threat going forward. Very pleased to have him here."

Forrest is the first Hearts arrival this summer with up to eight signings possible as the club look to bolster their squad ahead of the bid to reclaim third place in the table while competing in European group stage football.

Sporting director Joe Savage added: “We're delighted. He was one of the main targets that we had when the campaign finished. We're respectful of other clubs, so we didn't want to speak to Alan before the season had concluded.

"Livingston granted us permission to speak and we had a chat with Alan after his holiday. We're delighted to get it signed and sealed, because we think he's going to be a good player for us."