Nathaniel Atkinson is Hearts' first January signing; right-back has agreed a three-and-a-half year deal at Tynecastle Park; watch Hearts vs Celtic live on Sky Sports Football on January 26, kick-off 7.45pm; follow the latest transfer news on Sky Sports News and the Transfer Centre blog
Monday 10 January 2022 17:13, UK
Hearts have completed the signing of defender Nathaniel Atkinson from Melbourne City on a three-and-a-half year deal.
The 22-year-old, who is regarded as one of Australia's emerging talents, has joined up with the Tynecastle club for an undisclosed fee.
He will compete for the right wing-back position alongside the experienced Michael Smith after teenager Cammy Logan joined Edinburgh City on loan.
A deal was agreed with Melbourne last moth after Atkinson was identified as a player who could fit into Hearts' 3-4-3 formation.
Speaking to Hearts TV, he said: "I first heard about Hearts' interest about a month or two ago.
"I had gotten to a stage in my career where I was ready to play in Europe, and fortunately Hearts were interested. It was a match made in heaven and things moved pretty quickly after that."
Atkinson is also looking forward to being reunited with his Olympic team-mate Cammy Devlin at Tynecastle.
"I've known Cammy for about three years; first met in the junior Australian camps. We hit it off straight away; he's a bit of a rascal! It'll be good to see him again."
"A lot of Australians have come here, done well and had a great career out of it. I think that's pleasing and reassuring that this was the right move for me."
He will join up with Robbie Neilson's team on Tuesday when the players return to training after the winter break.
Who will be on the move in January? The January transfer window closes at midnight on Monday January 31 in Scotland.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
