Billy King joins Rangers in loan deal from Hearts
Friday 29 January 2016 09:22, UK
Hearts winger Billy King has joined Rangers on loan until the end of the season.
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson is keen for the 21-year-old to play regular first-team football with the Championship leaders after featuring mainly as a substitute this season.
King, who has represented Scotland at U15, U16, U19 and U21 level, has come through the ranks at Hearts having joined the the club as a 10-year-old.
He could go straight into Mark Warburton's squad for Saturday's home match against Falkirk but is cup-tied for Scottish Cup matches having represented the Jambos in earlier rounds.
King is Warburton's third recruit of the transfer window, following the arrival of Polish keeper Maciej Gostomski and winger Harry Forrester from Doncaster.
Warburton, who has had two bids for St Johnstone's Michael O'Halloran turned down, has also recruited Josh Windass and Matt Crooks from English League Two promotion hopefuls Accrington Stanley.
The pair will make the move to Ibrox when their current contracts expire at the end of the season.
Speaking to Hearts News, Neilson said: "Billy's at a stage where he's looking for regular game time, and that's not something that we can guarantee at the moment.
"We're fortunate to be in the position where we've got an abundance of options on the wing. Sam Nicholson and Jamie Walker, who is almost at full fitness, are two of the best young players in the country and are being pushed all the way by Arnaud Djoum and Prince Buaben.
"The emergence of Dario Zanatta has given us even more options in there, so it makes sense for Billy to go out on loan to continue his development.
"He'll get a run in a team that is pushing for a title, so it will benefit him in the short term and Hearts in the long run, when he comes back an even more confident player."
