The striker arrived at the club in the January transfer window with Tottenham holding an option to sign the Scot permanently
Hearts striker James Wilson in action for Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League 2 match at Liverpool
James Wilson has returned to Hearts after Tottenham decided not to take up the agreed option to buy him in his loan contract but the north London club do retain some interest in the player, football.london understands.
The 19-year-old arrived at Spurs on loan in January, having made 45 appearances for the Scottish Premiership title challengers and scoring eight goals. Wilson had made his senior debut for Hearts at just 16 and became their youngest ever European goalscorer in December 2024, when he netted against Petrocub in the Conference League, while also becoming the youngest player to score in that competition.
The forward became Scotland’s youngest ever senior international in March last year when he broke a 138-year-old record as he was brought on as a second-half substitute in a UEFA Nations League play-off second leg tie against Greece.
Spurs wanted to take a good look at Wilson during his loan spell and injuries at the club meant he was soon elevated from the under-21s to the senior squad and selected on the bench by interim head coach Igor Tudor in some big Premier League matches against Arsenal and Liverpool.
His main role though came for Wayne Burnett’s under-21 side and he provided four goals and one assist in nine Premier League 2 matches before switching to the wing for the play-offs with Mason Melia used through the middle up top.
FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
Ultimately football.london understands that Tottenham decided not to take up the agreed option to sign Wilson permanently with the player’s representatives also keen to explore first team opportunities at Hearts under their new manager and potentially abroad. Spurs are believed to retain some interest in the teenager though and will be keeping a track on him.
Although Wilson’s loan contract runs until the end of this month, Hearts confirmed his return across the border by posting an image of the young striker back in their pre-season training.
The Scottish side, following their last-day second place finish in the Premiership, face Champions League second qualifying round matches against Austrian side Sturm Graz next month.
Wilson will be looking to use his experiences at Tottenham and in Europe to help him impress new Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken this summer as he reaches the final year of his contract at the Edinburgh club.
Thousands of Tottenham Hotspur fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.
Official premium experiences at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
