Hearts exit for Bobby Burns as Northern Ireland starlet makes England move

Bobby Burns will depart Hearts tomorrow (Wednesday) to join English side Barrow.

The Northern Ireland starlet moved to Tynecastle in the summer of 2018, joining from Glenavon in his homeland.

The 20-year-old featured ten times across his two years in Gorgie and had two spells out on loan.

Livingston was the first destination during the 2018/19 campaign, before a switch to Australia where he was a regular for Newcastle Jets.

Burns, able to play in a variety of positions, had hoped to return to Hearts and challenge for a place at the club.

Speaking to the Evening News in March, he said: "I would love to make it at Hearts. Last summer I felt I could challenge, but now I probably feel I wasn't quite ready. Now I think I'm better equipped. Playing games has given me that fitness and winning mentality back. I've developed parts of my game that weren't as strong before.

"I've learned more sports science and I've improved my pace, crossing, and being calm on the ball. Winning games has helped and I've played different positions, so I definitely feel now that I can go back to Hearts and give it a good crack.”

He now joins Barrow who won the National League to gain promotion to League Two, England’s fourth tier. The Cumbrian side are managed by former Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City midfielder David Dunn.

Hearts said: “Everyone at Hearts wishes Bobby well in the next chapter of his career.”