Hearts players set to leave on loan ahead of transfer deadline
Hearts have received several loan offers for their young players ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline and will consider farming one or two out. With an enlarged first-team squad at Riccarton, some of the club’s teenagers are needing game time to develop and challenge for a place in the senior side.
Coaching staff are assessing each individual player’s needs and which club they may be suited to. Youngsters including Macaulay Tait, James Wilson, Finlay Pollock and Bobby McLuckie have been playing for the Hearts B team in the Lowland League in recent months. They now need challenged at a higher level and there is plenty interest from other Scottish clubs
“There is the potential that one or two might, but it needs to be right,” said the Hearts head coach Steven Naismith. “It’s important for some of the younger players to play over the next six months, even though I still think they could contribute to us. We will assess that over the course of the week.”
Hearts are restricted in how many home-grown players can leave because they need a minimum of four in their European squad for league-stage matches. So only one or two of the above are expected to head out on loan this week.
Hearts have already loaned midfielder Aidan Denholm to Ross County and defender Lewis Neilson to St Johnstone this month. B team defender Bailey Dall joined Stirling Albion for the season, whilst goalkeepers Harry Stone and Liam McFarlane are on loan at Ayr United and East Fife respectively
