Newcastle United are among several clubs tracking Hearts defender Alfie Osborne closely and have made checks on his situation in recent weeks, with the 17-year-old Scottish player attracting significant Premier League interest ahead of the summer transfer window. Arsenal and Manchester City are understood to be the leading contenders to sign him, while Leeds United, Aston Villa, Sunderland, and Fulham are also monitoring the player. Representatives from both Arsenal and Manchester City were in attendance to watch Osborne's performance for Scotland's Under-19s against Italy. It has been reported that this has intensified the interest in him. Hearts have made efforts to secure Osborne with a new long-term contract, but it has been reported that the player is not currently planning to extend his stay, which makes a summer move possible. Due to current regulations, English teams could sign the defender for a compensation fee understood to be less than £250,000. The Scotland U19 international has made four appearances for his country and has played 27 times in the Scottish Lowland Football League this season, scoring one goal.