Birmingham sign Hearts full-back Cochrane

Birmingham City have made their fifth summer signing by completing the transfer of Alex Cochrane from Heart of Midlothian for an undisclosed seven-figure fee.

The 24-year-old former Brighton full-back has moved, subject to league, FA and international clearance, on a four-year contract.

"I just cannot wait to get going," Cochrane told BluesTV. "It came about quite quickly, but I felt like it was too good an opportunity to pass on.

"The ambition of the club is really exciting, especially for a young player like me who wants to go as far as I can in football."

Having joined Hearts originally on loan in 2021 from hometown club Brighton, Cochrane signed a more permanent deal 12 months later.

He made 96 top-flight appearances and was part of the team that reached the Scottish Cup Final in 2022 and also helped Hearts to finish third in the Scottish Premiership last season and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.

BBC Scotland reported earlier in the week that relegated Blues would pay a fee of around £1.3m, with add-ons, for Cochrane, who had entered the final year of his contract at Tynecastle Park.

Hearts head coach Steven Naismith was expecting to lose him after having to leave him out of last Saturday's 2-1 friendly defeat by Leyton Orient.

Cochrane follows new Blues boss Chris Davies's earlier signings of goalkeepers Ryan Allsop and Bailey Peacock-Farrell, striker Alfie May and Norwegian winger Emil Hansson.