Manchester United full-back Demi Mitchell joins Scottish club Hearts on season-long loan

Manchester United Reserves full-back Demi Mitchell has joined Scottish Premiership side Hearts on loan for the rest of the season, the club have confirmed. The defender, who turned 21 on 11 January (Thursday) will look to gain some valuable first team experience as he looks to make his way into the United eleven in the near future.

The talented youngster started his career as a winger but eventually settled at left-back where he has been making waves. He has been a regular feature for the reserves and has also chipped in with an impressive tally of four goals this season. He is the second player to make his way out of the club on loan after striker James Wilson joined Championship side Sheffield United on Wednesday.

Mitchell joined the club's academy at the tender age of 10 and was handed his first-team debut by Jose Mourinho in the Reds' final Premier League game of last season against Crystal Palace, He was also part of the 27-man squad to travel to USA for pre-season training.

Mitchell has been a regular feature for the England Under-17s team which won the European Championship back in 2014 and has since gone on to represent his country at Under-20 level.

Hearts are fifth in the Scottish league, 21 points behind leaders Celtic, unbeaten in their last nine matches and Mitchell will be hoping that he can properly make his way into the first team and gain some valuable first team experience.

Manager Craig Levein's side make their return to action following the winter break against bitter rivals Hibernian in the Scottish Cup where Mitchell will be looking to make his competitive debut for Hearts.

Levenin has previously revealed that he wants to make a splash in the January market to strengthen his squad and wants players who can help the team now by hitting the ground running.

"I'd hope to have a couple in, maybe three. We don't have trialists organised at this moment but you can never rule anything out," Levenin said, as quoted by the Scottish Sun.

"The positions we need to strengthen are still the same. We aren't bringing any young ones in for the future in this window — it needs to be people who can help us now. That's what I'm trying to do."