Hearts transfer bulletin on Steinwender, Rowles receives love bomb and keeper deal saluted

Neil Critchley has paid tribute to Kye Rowles after the defender completed his £600,000 move to DC United - with Hearts closing in on making Michael Steinwender the Aussie’s replacement.

Rowles has left Tynecastle after two-and-a-half years and over 100 appearances to try his hand at the MLS. The 26-year-old former Central Coast Mariners star won himself a spot at the World Cup in 2022 off the back of his performances in maroon. But Hearts have wasted no time finding a successor and a fee has been agreed with IFK Vernamo for Steinwender who is set to fly in to Edinburgh this weekend to undergo a medical and thrash out personal terms to become the Jambos’ third January signing.

Critchley, who also tied down goalkeeper Zander Clark on a new two-year deal yesterday, was keen to keep Rowles but insists the Socceroo leaves with his best wishes. He said: “Kye has been a fantastic servant during my time and over his entire two-and-a-half-year spell at the club. While we’re obviously sad to see him go, it’s a good deal for him and it’s a good deal for the club so he goes with our thanks and our best wishes. As with one player leaving, it presents an opportunity for someone to stake a claim to fill that position within the team. I’m confident we have the personnel to step in to the team who, of late, have been performing well defensively.”

DC United General Manager Ally Mackay said: “We are getting a highly experienced centre back in Kye, and we’re looking forward to integrating him with the team ahead of the start of preseason. He has played the last three seasons in the Scottish Premiership and has been a pillar for the Australian National Team since 2022. Kye is a leader on the field who has good defensive instincts and the