Wojciech Gajda signs with Hearts

Back in November, Heart of Midlothian FC announced it had scooped up New York Red Bulls Academy prospect Wojciech Gajda. The young 'keeper joined the Hearts U-20 squad and was expected to sign professional terms in the January transfer window.

That expectation has been fulfilled: Hearts has announced the signing of the 18-year-old to a deal that runs to May 2018.

Gajda is yet another RBNY Academy player to turn pro with another club. A successful academy should be producing more pro-caliber prospects than the Red Bulls can handle, even with the option of signing players to pro contracts with the reserve team, NYRB II, in USL. In that sense, the development of another pro - even if he looks unlikely ever to be of service to RBNY - is a testament to the Academy's continuing productivity and value to the club.

As it happens, the Red Bulls are currently short on goalkeepers: only Luis Robles and Ryan Meara are under contract for the season ahead, and they can't cover every RBNY and NYRB II game. But Gajda will advance his career in Scotland, while the Red Bulls will doubtless address their goalkeeping needs in due course.