Hearts 'keeping close tabs' on Falkirk midfielder Brad Spencer as Tynecastle transfer move is mooted

Falkirk midfielder Brad Spencer has been subject to intense interest from Hearts - with the Tynecastle club’s Jamestown Analytics’ partnership highlighting the 29-year-old as a potential signing target for new boss Derek McInnes.

Reports detail that the Gorgie side - who massively underperformed last term in the Scottish Premiership finishing in the bottom half - have scouted Spencer since the turn of the year with the Bairns’ star playing a key role in John McGlynn’s team as Falkirk eventually secured the Scottish Championship title.

Having joined the Bairns in the summer of 2023, ex-Raith Rovers player Spencer reunited with McGlynn and swiftly showed his quality. He was a key part of the invincible Scottish League One title success and has played the best football of his career over the past 12 months. Spencer was named the PFA Scotland Championship Player of the Year by his peers last month.

Falkirk midfielder Brad Spencer is a Hearts’ signing target

The Daily Record reports that recently-appointed Hearts boss McInnes is currently assessing his squad and what he feels he needs heading into the new campaign. And that Spencer is one of the players that have been put forward to him from his scouting team and via the analytics partnership that is leading the Tynecastle club’s recruitment. Four players have already signed for the capital club this summer with Oisin McEntee, Alexandros Kyziridis, Chrisian Borchgrevink and Elton Kabangu all penning deals.

Signing Spencer would command a significant fee from Falkirk with the player one of the key part’s of Falkirk’s success on and off the park. The midfielder acted as a stand-in captain for most of the season with Coll Donaldson crocked and he is one of McGlynn’s most important players in the middle of the park. His current deal is up at the end of the new season having previously signed a one-year extension back in April 2024.

Spencer reckons Falkirk can go ‘toe-to-toe’ with any team in Premiership

Speaking after the Bairns’ title success, Spencer said ahead of Falkirk’s top-flight return: “Going up now, we believe in ourselves. We believe that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody in the country. It's not a slight, it's not arrogance, it's just a confidence that we have in ourselves. We went to Parkhead and did really well for 70 minutes. Obviously our legs kind of went out from under us. It just shows the belief that we've got in this group that we just go out and play our game. You never know what can happen in a game of football.

“I don't want to get too ahead of ourselves. We’ve probably got a wee bit of a target on our back. People wanted to see that before the start of this season. We had a target on our back this year. People wanted to shoot at us after that invincible season. Obviously, the first nine games we were sitting top of the league. I think maybe apart from two or three games throughout the year, if that, that’s where we were sitting. It just shows how consistent we've been.”