Martin O’Neill admits Hearts are capable of winning the Scottish Premiership.

Martin O’Neill believes Hearts have the quality, recruitment strategy and determination required to win the Scottish Premiership, backing the Edinburgh club to become genuine title contenders under their current ownership structure.

The Celtic manager has expressed his admiration for the progress Hearts have made, insisting that their growing challenge to Celtic and Rangers can only benefit Scottish football. O’Neill also believes the club’s ambition, supported by Tony Bloom’s investment, could become a reality sooner than expected.

6.05.2026 Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership – Luke McCowan Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren. Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO / News Licensing

Bloom’s long-term objective of winning the Scottish Premiership within ten years of investing in Hearts has attracted considerable attention. However, O’Neill does not regard that ambition as unrealistic. Instead, the experienced manager believes Hearts already possess the foundations necessary to compete for the biggest prize in Scottish football.

Cameron Devlin of Heart of Midlothian reacts after conceding a third goal scored by Callum Osmand of Celtic (not pictured) during the Scottishl Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on May 16, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Speaking about the Edinburgh side’s progress, O’Neill praised their recruitment and explained how their approach has increased the pressure on Scotland’s traditional leading clubs.

“I do, yeah, I do. I think their recruitment is really good. I think that what they’ve done has put pressure on Celtic and Rangers. They’re a definite challenge,” the Celtic boss admitted.

His comments underline the growing respect Hearts have earned after their impressive performances last season, when they pushed Celtic and Rangers in the battle for domestic supremacy.

16.05.2026 Celtic v Hearts, SPFL Premiership Callum Osmand goal against Hearts to give Celtic a 3-1 lead in the title decider. Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO/ News Licensing

Hearts remained competitive throughout the campaign, taking the title race deep into its closing stages and demonstrating that they could sustain a serious challenge against clubs with greater historical success and considerable resources.

Although they ultimately fell short, their performances raised expectations among supporters and strengthened the belief that the club could disrupt the established order.

Celtic supporters at Celtic Park for the 2026 title showdown with Hearts. Celtic 3 Hearts 1. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

O’Neill acknowledged the effort required to maintain that level of consistency, praising Hearts for refusing to surrender their title ambitions until the final moments of the campaign.

“They kept going all last season. That was a big, big effort. They kept going and they took it right to the last couple of minutes. Are they capable of doing it? Yeah,” he said.

Martin O’Neill, Manager of Celtic celebrates his teams third goal scored by Callum Osmand (not pictured) during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on May 16, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Celtic manager’s assessment represents significant recognition of the progress Hearts have achieved. Rather than viewing their previous title challenge as an isolated achievement, O’Neill believes their performances reflect a club developing the structure and mentality required to compete regularly at the highest level.

He also pointed towards the recruitment model associated with Bloom’s ownership as a significant factor behind Hearts’ development.

Bloom has previously been associated with Brighton and Hove Albion’s data-driven recruitment approach, and Hearts are increasingly looking towards the European market to identify players capable of improving the squad.

O’Neill believes this strategy could provide the Edinburgh club with a sustainable advantage as they attempt to close the gap on their Scottish rivals.

Harry Milne of Heart of Midlothian speaks to a steward during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on May 16, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I think that they’ve got a certain system in place at this minute, which has been used down at Brighton. They used it there and they’re scouring the European scene for these things,” he explained.

The Celtic manager also discussed Hearts’ response to the disappointment of narrowly missing out on their ambitions last season. Their opening league fixture against Aberdeen initially suggested that the previous campaign might have left a psychological mark on the players.

However, O’Neill believes Hearts have successfully overcome any lingering disappointment and returned to performing at a level that makes them dangerous opponents.

“I thought in the opening game of the season against Aberdeen there might have been just a bit of a hangover from last season. I think they’ve put that to bed and I think they’ve come roaring back. I think they’re capable of winning the league even before that,” he said.

Those remarks suggest that O’Neill considers Hearts genuine title candidates rather than outsiders hoping to benefit from mistakes made by Celtic and Rangers.

The Celtic boss also welcomed the prospect of increased competition at the top of Scottish football. For years, the Premiership title has largely been contested by the Glasgow rivals, with other clubs finding it difficult to maintain a challenge across an entire season.

Hearts’ recent progress has begun to change that narrative, and O’Neill believes their emergence is an encouraging development for the Scottish game.

“If you’re looking at it from a neutral viewpoint I think it’s only a great thing for Scottish football, that the Old Firm is being challenged in a big, big way. Rightly so. So it should be as well. Hearts have taken on that and I think they’re here to stay,” he added.

O’Neill also praised the determination shown by Hearts throughout last season, acknowledging the psychological demands of remaining near the top of the table while knowing that a historic achievement might be within reach.

Hearts eventually lost their manager and several important players, creating questions about whether they could maintain their momentum. Nevertheless, O’Neill believes those departures have not significantly weakened their prospects because the club has recruited effectively.

The appointment of Wouter Vrancken as the new Hearts manager has also raised questions about whether the team will adopt a different approach under his leadership.

Asked whether he anticipated a different challenge from Vrancken, O’Neill suggested the club’s underlying identity mattered more than the individual in charge.

“No, I don’t think so. I just think it’s the essence of the club. They went so, so close. I think inevitably they were going to lose a couple of players,” he said.

One notable departure was the club’s powerful centre-forward, who moved to Rangers, potentially strengthening one of Hearts’ principal rivals. However, O’Neill believes the Edinburgh side have responded intelligently in the transfer market.

“But I think they’ve recruited really well and I just think they’re physically very strong, again, which they were last season. And yeah, they are definitely challengers,” he concluded.

For Hearts, the challenge now is to transform their growing reputation into sustained success. Their recruitment strategy, physical strength and resilience have already earned admiration from one of Scottish football’s most experienced managers.

O’Neill’s assessment will encourage Hearts supporters who believe their club can finally break the dominance of Celtic and Rangers. While winning the Premiership remains a demanding objective, his comments suggest that the ambition is entirely achievable.

With Tony Bloom’s backing and a squad capable of competing against Scotland’s established powers, Hearts appear determined to remain involved in the title conversation.

Whether they can go one step further and become champions remains to be seen, but O’Neill is convinced they possess the potential to make it happen.