Heart of Midlothian have confirmed Makenzie Kirk has joined Hamilton Academical on loan for the remainder of the season.

The 19-year-old has scored 27 goals this season, taking the Lowland League by storm. He scored his fourth hat-trick of the campaign in a win over Gala Fairydean Rovers before Christmas.

Kirk's current Hearts deal expires at the end of the season. Hearts Standard understands he will sign a contract extension with the Tynecastle Park club.

READ MORE: Steven Naismith: Hearts recruitment role, squad evaluation and 4 transfer categories

The striker will link up with former Hearts youth coach John Rankin at Accies until the end of the season. They currently sit second in League One, five points behind leaders Falkirk. Accies face Stirling Albion on Saturday evening in a game that will be live on BBC Alba.

Hearts B head coach Liam Fox told Hearts website: "It's a good move for Makenzie. Hamilton are a club that myself and the manager know well. John Rankin is in charge there, he knows Kirky and Euan Henderson is there as well, so that's another familiar face that will hopefully help him settle. 

"Everybody in football knows how important someone who can stick the ball in the back of the net is. Kirky is a natural goalscorer, and having scored 27 goals for us before Christmas, that was bound to attract attention. 

"We didn't want to just send him anywhere. We wanted to send him somewhere he would be tested in high pressure games, as Hamilton have loads to play for. 

"As is always the case when you go on loan, he will have to fight his way into the team. Once he gets in the team, hopefully he can stay there by scoring goals and helping Hamilton get to their end goal, before coming back to us and pushing for his end goal which is first team football."

Kirk was on the bench for the first team earlier this season at Ross County. It was the same venue where he made his only appearance so far for the first team under Robbie Neilson toward the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

READ MORE: The importance of Hearts B: Pathway, periodisation, investment and its future

Head coach Steven Naismith spoke about Kirk's situation last month.

"Mak Kirk's strongest attribute is finishing, arguably the top, as good as anyone we have got at this club," he said. "Top, top. But the other aspects of his game he needs to work on, he's such a good character that he learns. If anything he works too hard, running everywhere and the ball comes in the box and he's not there or the link up is not there because he is doing somebody else's job."

He added: "In terms of January we will wait and see because the question will be will he get much else from the next six months in the B [team]. If there is an offer and somebody wants to take him higher up, do we challenge him there?"