With the season just one month away, Hearts fans have high hopes for the club. A new boss and increased financial backing, many league experts believe they will contend for a top spot in the Scottish Premiership in the 2025-26 season. However, will these changes help them compete with league giants Celtic and Rangers?
We believe the Hearts of Midlothian are capable of pushing the two top clubs and could end up taking one of the Scottish Premiership’s top two spots on the table this season. We’ll share the three top reasons for our confidence below, giving you everything you need to prepare for a thrilling Hears season!
Hearts Go All in With Derek McInnes
The biggest reason we believe the Hearts are set for a spectacular season is the appointment of new manager Derek McInnes. The Paisley-born boss enjoyed a fantastic playing career and has carried that success into managing.
The hiring of McInnes was a massive victory for the club. After taking chances on unproven managers for years, they have decided to bring in a proven winner in McInnes. Although his Kilmarnock club struggled last season, he led them to an impressive fourth-place finish in the 2023-24 season. With more resources and better support from the Hearts, we expect his winning ways to return quickly.
McInnes made a name for himself as a manager during his eight-year stint with Aberdeen. He led them to a Scottish League Cup title and reached the finals two other times. He also helped Aberdeen reach the finals of the Scottish Cup during the 2016-17 season.
In his time with Aberdeen, he led the club to a second-place finish in the Scottish Premiership in four consecutive seasons. They were unable to close the gap on Celtic, but managed to consistently beat out Rangers (and a good Hearts squad) for the second spot.
Sportsbook Odds Show Confidence
There is no shortage of Scottish Premiership analysts and experts, but they often have conflicting views. This is why we like to check sportsbook odds to get a sense of how operators believe the season will unfold. With large sums of money on the line, bookmakers are more incentivized to set odds based on in-depth research.
Most popular sportsbooks have Celtic as the favorites, followed by Rangers. Hearts can be found in a distant third, but light years ahead of the rest of the field, including the Hibs. This shows that bookmakers like what they’ve seen from Hearts, who finished outside of the top six last season. While their odds remain behind the two leaders, a hot start from the Tynecastle Club could quickly change that.
Sportsbooks taking an interest in Hearts is good news for fans who want to bet on their matches. They can expect to see Hearts-related betting offers, allowing them to back their squad while receiving better odds, bet credits, and more.
Tony Bloom’s Financial Backing
While we are hopeful about the Hearts future over the next few seasons, that optimism took a hit when Heart of Midlothian’s chairperson Ann Budge announced she will be stepping down. The 77-year-old has been a godsend for the club, helping to bring in the financial backing needed to compete in Scotland’s top football league.
Budge leaving will likely hurt over the years, but she provided the club with one final gift before she leaves. That came in the form of a €10 million investment from Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom. He is receiving a 29% ownership stake, but will not receive voting rights, leaving the Foundation of Hearts in control.
Bloom’s investment was met with celebration from fans and club leadership. It represents another step forward for a club that was almost brought to the brink of collapse by former owner Vladimir Romanov.
Time will tell how the club will replace Budge, but Bloom’s investment gives them a head start. It sends a message to the league and international players that the club is determined to compete and has the financial backing to do so. That, combined with Bloom’s connections to English football, could lead to talented stars taking a second look at Hearts.
