Hearts suffer fresh injury setback as key absentee confirmed ahead of Celtic showdown

Hearts have been dealt an injury blow ahead of their trip to Celtic Park on Sunday, with Eduardo Ageu ruled out after picking up a fresh problem.

The Edinburgh side will return to Parkhead for the first time since the final day of last season, when Celtic defeated them to secure the Scottish Premiership title and leave Hearts watching their own championship hopes disappear.

There will be plenty of motivation for Hearts to make a statement this weekend, although much has changed since that painful afternoon, including a managerial switch and several notable changes to the squad.

Wouter Vrancken’s men have made a steady start to the new campaign and currently sit third, five points behind Celtic. Whether they can maintain a serious title challenge remains to be seen, but their early performances suggest they could be in contention for a strong finish despite losing top scorer Lawrence Shankland over the summer.

However, Ageu’s latest injury is an unwanted complication as Hearts prepare for two important fixtures.

The midfielder, who joined the club in 2025, suffered the problem after Hearts’ impressive 5-0 victory over St Mirren at the weekend. He is now expected to miss both the Europa Conference League meeting with Nordsjælland and Sunday’s Premiership clash against Celtic.

Hearts boss Vrancken confirmed that the latest setback is different from the muscle injury that disrupted Ageu’s pre-season and limited his appearances in the league.

“It’s not the same injury as before, but of course, it’s a pity for him, for the team and for us,” the manager explained.

Vrancken admitted the news was particularly frustrating because Ageu had shown encouraging signs during the St Mirren victory and appeared ready to build momentum after his previous spell on the sidelines.

The Hearts manager revealed that the player had even expressed his excitement about featuring in the upcoming European fixtures before the new problem emerged.

Although the setback is disappointing, Vrancken stressed that the club must remain patient and avoid rushing the midfielder back before he is ready.

Ageu is expected to spend longer than just the coming weekend out of action, with his recovery to be assessed on a week-by-week basis.

The manager also highlighted the importance of rehabilitation and maintaining a positive attitude as the midfielder works towards returning to full fitness.

For Hearts, the immediate challenge is to manage without Ageu while preparing for a difficult trip to Celtic Park. With their rivals sitting five points ahead, Sunday’s encounter presents an important opportunity to close the gap, but the injury news has added another hurdle to Vrancken’s preparations.