Steven Naismith has made his fourth signing of the summer window with the addition of England U20 right-back Daniel Oyegoke.
The 21-year-old joins Hearts from Premier League side Brentford for an undisclosed fee, penning a three-year deal at Tynecastle Park, subject to international clearance and Scottish FA approval.
An athletic, attacking full-back, Daniel started his journey with local side Barnet before joining Arsenal’s youth academy in 2017. After four years in North London he moved West to sign his first professional contract with Brentford.
Cutting his teeth in Brentford’s B team, Daniel was a regular in former Hearts midfielder Neil MacFarlane’s side in season 2021/22.
A six-month loan spell at MK Dons followed before Daniel was recalled by Brentford in January 2023, and he would go on to help the Bees’ B team to Premier League Cup success.
Last season saw him spend the entire campaign on loan at Bradford City, where he would count former Jambos stalwart Jamie Walker as a teammate. Daniel would feature 28 times at Valley Parade as the Bantams narrowly missed out on the League Two play-offs.
Daniel has made an impression on the international scene too, having been capped for England at U16s, U17s, U18s, U19s and U20s level. He was part of the 2022 U19 European Championship winning side that defeated Israel in the final, and was an ever present in last year’s U20s World Cup.
He’ll now call Gorgie his home for the next three-years and Steven Naismith told the Official Hearts Website of his delight at securing Daniel’s services.
He said: “It’s another really positive bit of news to get Daniel in as a Hearts player.
“He’s versatile, has physicality and also a calmness in possession. He’s willing to take the ball under pressure and that’s a big part of the way we want our defenders to play.
“What’s really impressed me is his desire to progress his career. He’s not comfortable just standing still in a safe environment, he wants to forge a career and advance to a higher level, and I expect him to do that with Hearts.”
