Hearts announce summer signing of Rogers Mato as Derek McInnes says league form is 'something substantial'

Hearts boss Derek McInnes says his side’s table-topping form is “something substantial” and not just a purple patch – as the Tynecastle club announced its first signing for next season.

Ahead of the Premiership leaders’ home match against St Mirren on Wednesday, McInnes spoke about the importance of the team’s support and how fan backing has contributed to the best away record in the league.

He said that the same noisy backing at Tynecastle is “vitally important” and wants the game at the stadium to bring “something extra special, something extra intimidating for the opponents”.

That’s been the case so far as Hearts have opened up a three-point gap over nearest challengers Rangers and six points over third-placed Celtic, with a game in hand over the Ibrox side and only 17 matches left to play.

McInnes says that’s proof that his side hasn’t just enjoyed a temporary hot streak but have been at a consistently high level throughout the season so far. And he says that while the Glasgow giants might enjoy an advantage in terms of resources, it’s up to Hearts to give everything they can in the title race.

“We don’t have the finances of Rangers and Celtic,” he told Hearts TV. “We’re now directly in competition with Rangers and Celtic as it stands in the league. We don’t have the finances of them. We are the underdog; there’s no two ways about it.

“We will never have the money that they have, but what we have can be so much more in terms of recruiting well, having a great team spirit, having a brilliant atmosphere, having a fanbase that really make it difficult for opponents when they turn up at Tynecastle.

“I just ask that we can keep delivering our part, the fans can keep adding to that side as well. I’m not going to sit here and demand that we need better because we’re the biggest driving force as a team to try and produce big performances that the fans can buy into.

“I think you’ve seen some of the best performances from the sidelines and from the pitch against the bigger teams when we have been the underdog. Sometimes when we’re not the underdog, and a lot more is expected of us, sometimes they’re the more difficult moments.

“This isn’t a purple patch; this isn’t just a little spell over the top of the league. We’re nearly four months at the top of the league, it’s something substantial. We carry ourselves properly as a club and as a team and we just want to try and keep where we are.

“We’re comfortable where we are, which is important, and we’re exactly where we want to be. But for us to stay there, given what Rangers and Celtic will do coming up, they’ll spend fortunes in January, money that we can’t, we’re still paying Hearts wages. What the players are giving us at the minute is a different class and it’s important we just keep tapping into what we’ve got.”

While the manager puts all his focus on making this season memorable, the club has already begun their planning for the next campaign, with a first signing of the summer lined up.

Ugandan international forward Rogers Mato has agreed to become a Hearts player in the summer, signing a pre-contract deal with the club.

The 22-year-old forward has impressed in North Macedonia with Vardar, helping to take the club to the top of the league with 12 goals in 13 games so far this season.

Mato, who Hearts describe as “one of Europe’s hottest properties”, was first capped by Uganda in 2022, and has eight goals from 41 caps, including one at this year’s AFCON tournament.