Robbie Neilson insists Hearts are looking to secure permanent transfers over loan deals this summer as they gear up for a European adventure on top of domestic matters.
The Tynecastle side have already made good progress in the market bringing in Alan Forrest, Kye Rowles and Lewis Neilson. Jorge Grant and Alex Cochrane are two other deals on a full-time basis that seem to be edging closer with even more activity expected to follow.
Lawrence Shankland worked with Neilson at Dundee United and he is another name being linked with the capital club. Hearts have pocketed a guaranteed £3million from what is to come in Europe with the Jambos entering the Europa League play-off round knowing that defeat at this stage will see them parachute into the Europa Conference League groups.
Neilson and sporting director Joe Savage are continuing to work hard behind the scenes with permanent transfers preferred. Loans at this time of the season aren't overly common with better opportunities not usually available until much later in the window.
No one is ruling out a couple of temporary transfers before the end of the summer activity after the success of Ellis Simms and Cochrane. Ben Woodburn and Taylor Moore played more bit-part roles but the preference is getting players in for keeps.
Speaking to Edinburgh Evening News, Neilson said: "We always prefer permanent deals but we will see where we are towards the end of the window.
"It’s difficult to get a good player on loan at this time of the year.
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"Most teams are taking their good ones in to train with the first team and play in pre-season games.
“Generally, good loan opportunities don’t come up until later in the window. We want to get the majority of our business done early so we are ready for the games.”
Pre-season is underway with Neilson delighted with the shape his Hearts squad have come back in.
Craig Gordon will hook up with the squad in Spain while Nathaniel Atkinson and Kye Rowles will return following the warm weather camp.
Neilson added: “Craig will join us over in Spain and Atkinson and Rowles will join us when we get back.
“That gives them a bit of time off because they had a lot of travelling, especially the Australian boys having been in Doha. They will only have been off for less than two weeks so their fitness levels should be fine.
“The first couple of days of pre-season are just testing day for the boys – a bit of running, heart screening and all the medical stuff.
"The actual on-pitch stuff starts today with a double session and then we fly out early doors on Friday. We have our first pre-season game over there [against Europa FC from Gibraltar].
“The boys have come back in very good shape. They had a couple of weeks off doing nothing and then they had a programme to follow and they have all done it.
"They are in really good condition so that means we can start training at a really high level.”
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