Former Ireland under-21 captain Aidy White ends injury nightmare and signs for Hearts

Former Republic of Ireland under-21 captain Aidy White has signed for Scottish Premiership club Hearts after bringing to an end a two-year injury nightmare

The versatile midfielder has been without a club since being released by Barnsley in 2017 as an ongoing groin injury prevented him from finding a new club.

27-year-old White has been on manager Craig Levein’s radar for the past year and has signed a two-year deal with a view to making the step back up to senior football in the coming months.

“We’ve been in dialogue with Aidy for a year and feel that now is the right time to bring him in,” Levein told the club’s website.

“He’s got a lot of work to do in order to reach the level we think he’s capable of but I’m confident he can fulfill his potential and prove to be a vital cog in the wheel as we look towards the future.”

The Yorkshire native came through the ranks with Leeds United and made more than 80 appearances before joining Rotherham United in 2015.

He had two loan spells with Barnsley before signing permanently with the Tykes in the summer of 2016 but left at the end of his contract after an injury-marred spell.