Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken has dismissed concerns over the departure of multiple club captains this summer, insisting his squad remains rich in leadership qualities. Cammy Devlin became the third captain to leave Tynecastle, following Lawrence Shankland to Rangers after rejecting a new contract, while fellow vice-captain Frankie Kent moved to Oxford United. Veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon is also expected to retire, leaving Vrancken without five members of last season's leadership group that came close to winning the Scottish Premiership title.
Vrancken Confident in Remaining Leaders
Despite the exodus, Vrancken is adamant that he still has a dressing room full of winners. “No, not about leaders because I think there are still a lot of leaders in our group, especially when I compare it with past groups I had,” he said. “So we have Craig Halkett, we have Stephen Kingsley, Jamie McCart and we have Stu Findlay. A lot of personalities in the group, Harry Milne too. So the number of leaders is not a problem.”
However, Vrancken acknowledged the loss of the team’s central spine. “Of course, you lose your total central spine of the team. We have to look that we are strong again. But the guys are pushing really hard and that's nice to work with.”
Captaincy Decision Delayed
With Craig Halkett sidelined by injury until next year, Vrancken has yet to name a permanent captain for the upcoming season. “Most important for me is that the leaders take the responsibility. We have the players council also and that they step up. We don’t have officially a captain yet. Craig Halkett is still out until the end of the year. He is also a potential captain. So yeah, I'm not concerned about those things.”
Hearts face a crucial Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz in just 10 days, and Vrancken is focused on preparing his new-look squad.
Claudio Braga Speculation Intensifies
Hearts may also have to fend off interest in star midfielder Claudio Braga, who has attracted attention from Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town and French giants Lyon. The Portuguese playmaker was named PFA Scotland and SFWA player of the year, and Hearts value him at upwards of £8 million. Vrancken, however, expects Braga to remain with the club. “What I've heard is there’s nothing on the table, nothing concrete yet. I have an open and honest communication and relationship with Claudio about those things. So, no, at the moment, no, not at all.”
Transfer Window Needs
Hearts have already made eight new signings this summer, but Vrancken admits further reinforcements are needed, particularly in midfield following Devlin’s departure. “It's difficult to say now because we have already a big group of players, a lot of players now. We have 24 outfield players on Friday in the two games. We have to see that the group is not too big, but we need some quality. I think when Cammy is not coming back, we need something there for sure. And also (Amadou) Ba-Sy is still there. So we hope that he can be this extra push there.”
Striker Amadou Ba-Sy has missed pre-season due to illness but is making progress. “He's improving. He was sick and now he lost six kilos. So he has to find his cardio again, his volume again. But he's eager to play. You see him next to the pitch, staring at the guys and then hoping that he's back soon. So it's also a nice profile when you see him. It's good to have a guy like him who can score some goals because we need that.”
