Hearts have completed the signing of Cormac Daly on a two-year deal, bringing the 19-year-old attacking midfielder in after his departure from Nottingham Forest. The move is subject to Scottish FA approval and international clearance before he can be fully available.
Cormac Daly on Hearts move
Daly said he was “absolutely buzzing” after the call from Hearts and added that the club “have a good plan.” He said, “It's something that I really wanted to be part of, and it really excited me.”
He also pointed to the names he already knows around the club, saying, “I know James Wilson, Gus Stevenson and Matt Gillies, I've known them for a number of years, so it'll be good to meet up with them again.”
Nottingham Forest and Hamilton Academical
The signing comes after three years in England, where Daly joined Nottingham Forest later in 2023 on his first professional contract. Before that, he came through the youth system at Hamilton Academical and was part of their U18 league-winning team of 2023.
At Nottingham Forest, he played for the U18 and U21 sides and had loan spells at Lincoln United and Hereford. Daly said those loans gave him “a taste of senior football,” and that the time away from home helped him “develop both on and off the pitch.”
Scottish FA approval
Hearts are adding a direct, quick attacking midfielder who describes himself as having “a bit of flair” and as “a really attacking winger really.” Daly said the next test is to show he can handle the step into Hearts after proving he could handle the move to England three years ago.
The transfer is complete, but Daly still cannot officially play until Scottish FA approval and international clearance are granted, so the paperwork now sits between the deal and his first appearance in a Hearts shirt.
