Barrie McKay's Hearts return date revealed as the forward recovers from ankle surgery

Long summer is close to an end for the Tynecastle player

Hearts forward Barrie McKay is nearing a return from injury and has an outside chance of featuring in next week’s European tie against Rosenborg at Tynecastle Park.

He is now back training outdoors at the club’s Riccarton headquarters and should be back in action imminently. Sunday’s Premiership match against Kilmarnock will come too soon for him but he is pushing to be available when the Norwegians’ visit Gorgie on Thursday.

Hearts lost 2-1 to Rosenborg in Trondheim in the first leg of the European Conference League third round qualifier and are hopeful of overturning that deficit in Edinburgh. Having McKay ready, even to play part of the game, would be a boost to their cause. However, he won’t be involved unless he is 100 per cent ready.

The 28-year-old underwent surgery on his ankle at the end of last season in what was considered a tidy-up operation. He spent the summer recuperating and is now finally approaching a return to competitive football.

With recent signings like Alex Lowry, Kyosuke Tagawa and Kenneth Vargas competing for his position, McKay will be eager to reclaim his place in Hearts’ starting line-up.

Coaches and medical staff at Riccarton will assess Beni Baningime’s injury over the weekend following their return from Norway. The Congolese midfielder was substituted at half-time after feeling a niggle in his hamstring near the end of the first period in the Lerkendal Stadion.

He was making his first start since March 2022 due to cruciate ligament damage and Hearts do not want to push him to keep playing. He will be given time to rest and recover over the coming days.