Hearts reveal transfer state-of-play with Malachi Boateng and Andres Salazar as old face returns

Hearts are on the verge of completing a deal to sign midfielder Malachi Boateng from Crystal Palace.

Steven Naismith, the Tynecastle side’s head coach, has also confirmed the club’s interest in the South American left-back Andres Salazar. The Colombian international is being lined up for a loan move from Atletico Nacional and would effectively replace Alex Cochrane who moved to Birmingham City last month.

The signing of Boateng is more imminent, and Naismith believes he would add defensive ballast to the Hearts midfield. He has played previously in Scotland on loan at Queen’s Park and Dundee, impressing in both stints, and Naismith hasn’t ruled out the possibility of completing the deal in time for the season opener against Rangers on Saturday.

Hearts target Malachi Boateng had a successful loan spell at Dundee last season. (Photo by Paul Byars / SNS Group)

“Hopefully,” said the Hearts boss. “We'll see if he's involved or not [against Rangers]. That's at the end point. There have been a couple of things that have dragged it on a bit but we hope to have a clear solution to that today [Friday] before anything kicks off tomorrow.

“I don't think I need to sell him too much because he's showed in his time in Scotland, first at Queen's Park and then last season at Dundee, where he played a really big part in their good season. He's probably underrated because he does a lot of the defensive side of things. He is athletic, he has a physicality about him and he's comfortable receiving the ball in the middle of the pitch which is a really good quality to have.”

His signing has become more urgent given the injuries to Hearts’ defensive midfielders Beni Baningime and Calem Nieuwenhof who have played no part in the pre-season matches.

London-born Boateng, 22, is in the final year of his contract at Palace. Salazar, 21, would join initially on loan, with the possibility of Hearts then buying him from Colombian top-tier side Atletico Nacional. He made his full Colombia debut last summer and is considered an outstanding prospect.

“It's something we are working on but I've not got much update in terms of where that's at,” Naismith said. “As a player, he's got really high potential. We've been fortunate in that the situation at his current club is going to restrict his minutes and the way the deal has been structured and the way it will work out, it's a good opportunity for us.

“As we lost Alex, he was somebody we knew about but we didn't really think we had a massive opportunity to get him. But that seems to have changed and it's something we're working hard to get done.”

Meanwhile, Hearts have announced that Lee Wallace, their former Scotland international left-back, has rejoined the club as assistant coach of the boys' under-18 side.