Falkirk captain Darren Barr has signed a pre-contract agreement with Hearts and will move to Tynecastle in the summer when his current deal expires.Hibernian, Aberdeen and Dundee had all expressed interest in the 24-year-old Scotland international but Barr has opted to join Csaba Laszlo's side.
Barr came through the ranks at Falkirk and has played there for 10 years.
"I am pleased to have sorted out the next stage of my career and glad to end the speculation," he said.
Falkirk manager Eddie May last week insisted that he was not interested in receiving players on loan from clubs keen to secure Barr's signature.
Instead, he wanted either a significant fee from Barr's suitors or for the defender to sign a pre-contract deal and remain to help the club in their relegation fight.
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And May, whose side are bottom of the Scottish Premier League, had said he would not begrudge Barr a move after a decade of service at Falkirk, arguing that he "deserves the opportunity to play at a very good level".
Comfortable at right-back or centre-half, Barr has made more than 120 appearances in his time at the Bairns and turned out for Forfar on loan in season 2005/06.
Having played for Scotland 'B' in 2007, Barr won his first full Scotland cap under manager George Burley in a friendly against Northern Ireland the following year.
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport