HUGE HEARTS = MASSIVE COMPETITION

Kent insists bulky squad will bring out best in Gorgie

- BY DARREN JOHNSTONE

FRANKIE KENT will reserve judgment on whether the Hearts squad is the best in his time at the club.

One thing he knows for sure is that it is certainly the biggest with the first-team dressing room at Oriam bursting at the seams ahead of tonight's Premiership opener against Aberdeen.

Some 29 players are listed on the official club website, with boss Derek McInnes set to add Pierre Landry Kabore and Tomas Magnusson in the coming days.

Kent faces competition for the centre-back berths from no fewer than seven of his teammates.

But, after last season's woeful bottom-six finish, he is the first to admit that having options all over the pitch is the kick up the backside everyone needs.

Kent, a 2023 arrival from Peterborough, said: "It's definitely the biggest squad but in some ways that's good because then there's a lot of competition. You've got to fight for your place.

“So training since the day we got back has been very high-intensity and everyone is trying to impress and trying to prove themselves to be in that team, be in the squad and be a valued member of the squad.