Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken says the club are working round the clock to ensure they are ready for Hibs and the closing hours of the transfer window. The Jambos travel across Edinburgh on Thursday for Vrancken’s first taste of the capital derby, but the window for deals remains open until just under three hours before kick-off at Easter Road.
Busy week for Hearts recruitment
Hearts could add to their 11 summer signings, with midfielder Tom Renaud facing months on the sidelines. There could yet be late moves for Tynecastle stars, not least Claudio Braga. With Tuesday night’s deadline to name their European squad for the Conference League looming, it adds to the pressure of a manic derby week.
It means Vrancken, sporting director Graeme Jones and the Gorgie recruitment team are working overtime on both fronts. The Belgian said: “Long days. It has to be done. We have to prepare for Hibs like we prepare every game, and knowing the weight of the game also. We will be well prepared there. But at the same time, you have to discuss the list, discuss our transfers when it's like this.”
European boost and squad decisions
Last week’s thrilling shootout win over Rapid Vienna in Austria secured a minimum six extra Euro games for Hearts in the Conference League. That will boost the Tynecastle coffers to the tune of £5m and could open the door for further arrivals, especially with Renaud ruled out. The return of record signing Ageu to training could ease the pressure to find another body in that area though.
Vrancken said: “Now we're going to discuss the squad in its whole, and also with the injury to Tom, of course, and looking where Ageu is and looking further if we need something. If there's something going on, yeah, and outgoing maybe. So we have to be ready to adapt, and adapt fast, but it's difficult to say at the moment.”
Transfer deadline challenges
Vrancken will name his squad for the six Conference League games on Wednesday. Asked how difficult that is with a day of the transfer window still to run, he said: “Good question, good question. I'm just asking myself the question also!
“I just have to talk a lot with Graeme and look how we see the squad, and what we think, and what's going on in the background, so that we can have as good an overview as we can have. We have to make decisions in the list, and we cannot make five changes afterwards. We can have some changes, I think two or so, but we have to try to be as spot-on as possible, and adapting on the last day.”
