Aston Villa snap up Hearts teenager Ewan Simpson

Simpson, 16, who has come through the club's academy, featured for their under 18s last season and played in the Scottish Youth Cup Final defeat to Rangers.

Now he is making the move to Villa after a deal was agreed between the two clubs, and Hearts' Sporting Director Joe Savage insists the move shows the quality of their system - and that they will be properly compensated when big clubs come knocking.

He said: "What this deal shows is that our Football Academy system is succeeding in nurturing young players and developing them into talented footballers with the potential to go on to big things.

“Of course, we want these players to pull on a Hearts shirt and run out at Tynecastle but sometimes circumstances will dictate that they will move on.

“What reassures me, and it should fans too, is that we will always position ourselves to be properly compensated in such situations and, most importantly, that we really do have a crop of extremely talented young players coming through our Academy whose goal is to wear that famous maroon jersey.”

Simpson is the second player Villa have signed from a Scottish club in recent months - after Steven Gerrard went back to his old club Rangers to sign teenage striker Rory Wilson.