Ann Budge approves Hearts' January signing plan

Hearts owner Ann Budge has authorised the club’s January recruitment plan as they aim to sign at least two new players.

She met manager Robbie Neilson on Friday to discuss the forthcoming window and both agreed that their first-team squad requires strengthening.

Neilson told the Evening News last week that he would like one more wide player and another striker to compete up front. He has now begun the recruitment process.

“We are sourcing a couple of players to come in,” he confirmed today. “The most important thing, if we do bring someone in, is that they have to come in and be able to play every week. They need to be better than what we have already.

Hearts owner Ann Budge has authorised a January signing plan.

“The initial meeting with Ann was just to authorise it. Now it's a case of trying to find the players we think are going to improve us for the rest of the season.”

Although he brought in eight new faces during the summer months, Neilson expects a greater challenge trying to attract players to the Scottish Championship in January.

“That's the difficulty of it, 100 per cent. That's why we really need to work hard to get the right ones in,” he said. “If the right players aren't available, I'm more than happy with what we've got at the moment.

“If we add a wee bit extra to the squad, anyone coming in has got to be able to improve us.”

Some of Hearts’ younger players will be given the chance of loan moves to play more regularly during the second half of the campaign.

Neilson thanked Budge for her support despite the financial problems affecting every football club as a result of the Covid pandemic.

“It was fantastic from Ann,” said the manager. “It's difficult times that we are all going through at the moment but I think it's important that we keep improving the squad in every transfer window.

“That's something we want to do in January with a view to continuing the good form. Hopefully we can get promoted and then look ahead to the summer window as well.”

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