Craig Levein: Cost of new stand may mean no more Hearts signings

Hearts manager Craig Levein says the club does not want to get into financial trouble again by overspending. Picture: SNS

Hearts have brought in striker David Vanecek as well as full-back Conor Shaugnessy on loan from Leeds United but it looks likely these could be the only fresh faces this month.

The Vanecek deal was struck earlier this season but his move was delayed while he completed playing the first half of the Czech Republic season with FK Teplice.

Arnaud Djoum, meanwhile, will soon be out of contract and is yet to sign a new deal. It’s possible he could leave in this window and Levein would not necessarily stand in the midfielder’s way if the deal suited both parties.

The Hearts boss is also a director and has a responsibility to the club following the huge outlay of the new main stand, with work still ongoing behind the scenes. The redevelopment was meant to cost £12 million but the most recent estimate had soared to £18m. The club have also spent £1m on a new hybrid pitch at Tynecastle.

“I have not given up hope of him [Djoum] staying but we have quite a big squad and financially we still have to finish the stand,” said Levein. “Yes, the football is the most important thing but we don’t want to get ourselves into trouble again by overspending.”

Meanwhile, John Souttar is set to make his long- awaited return to the squad for tonight’s league clash with Dundee at Tynecastle. The defender has not played since sustaining a hip injury while on duty for Scotland against Israel in October.